Beyond the Grave
by WhiteLotusBlossom547
Summary: After a failed attempt at telling Naru how she feels, Mai is murdered. Still grieving, the team gets a case against the worst spirit they've yet to face. And they really don't want to fight her. Is Mai really haunting them from beyond the grave? Naru/Mai
1. Broken Heart

Another one!

Yayayay!

I just became obsessed with Anime such as Tokyo Mew Mew and Ghost Hunt, and I needed to get this idea down. It's a multi-chap, and rated T just cuz I feel like it. :D

I DON'T OWN GHOST HUNT!

Enjoy!

_

* * *

Watch out, Naru. You better watch out…

* * *

_

"_Today will be the day."_ Mai thought happily to herself as she finished sorting the files. _"Today is the day I'll tell him."_

There hadn't been much work at SPR lately. Things seemed pretty quiet in Tokyo, not counting the case they had just finished. Mai put the last file in the drawer and slid it shut.

She looked at the clock on the wall. It was ten o'clock at night. _"Good thing it's Friday," _she concluded. She grabbed her book bag and put the strap over her shoulder. Naru had just left a moment ago, it shouldn't be too hard to catch him.

She walked out the front door, leaving Lin to lock it later. Mai looked around the dark street, looking for something that would almost be invisible at this time of night. If it weren't for his pale skin off in the distance, she wouldn't have noticed him at all.

Her smile turned brighter as she began to run, following him. She followed him for about five or so minutes as he took different turns towards what she thought must be where he lived. Why he didn't take his car, she couldn't guess. Perhaps his home was too close it would be far too foolish to take the car.

"Naru!" She finally called out, getting out of breath. He turned to look at her, gaze cold as usual.

"Mai. What are you doing here?" He asked, face expressionless.

She finally got to him, panting. She looked around, looking at her surroundings. It looked like she was in an alley, with more alleys connected to it, and a bunch of abandoned buildings. She had heard of this part of town. It was now she had just noticed that it was beginning to rain, puddles at her feet and cold drops falling on her head.

"Mai." She heard his voice again.

"Oh, um… I just wanted to tell you something."

"And that would be?"

"Um, well, the thing is Naru, I've been working for you for a long time-"

"You're not getting a raise."

"You need to let me finish. I've been working for you for a long time, and, we've gotten closer, and, I think…I think…"

She gave herself a deep breath.

"I think I love you Naru, and I just need to know how you feel about me."

She had expected him to smile, be taken aback, give some response. But she got nothing. Only his cold, expressionless stare.

"Naru?" She tried again.

"You don't love me." He said.

"But, Naru-"

"You don't love me, Mai. I am your boss, it is extremely inappropriate for you to say such a thing. You are my assistant, nothing more. You don't love me Mai. It would be best for you to go home, now."

Tears brimmed her eyes. She could've handled Naru saying he didn't love her, but she hadn't expected _this._ "Naru, you may be my boss, but you can't just change my feelings for me-"

"You don't love me, Mai." He said again, voice rising slightly, glare becoming colder and more hostile. "You don't love me, I don't love you. You should go back from where you came now. I expect things to be completely normal tomorrow."

He turned and walked away.

The rain poured down harder. Mai was freezing, but she didn't care. Her tears poured down her face freely now that he was gone. She collapsed to her knees, not even caring about the pain it caused her. Nothing was as painful as this. Her clothes were soaked and now slightly dirty. She brought her hands to her eyes and sobbed. _He didn't have to be so cruel._

She yanked her shoes and socks off. She didn't know why. Maybe to soothe her now blistered feet in the rain.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't know if she would be able to find her way back. And could things be normal at work? She couldn't find an answer.

After a while the rain lightened, and her clothes dried slightly. She didn't care, there was still that pain in her heart.

She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, but she knew she needed to go home. She stood, still shaking. She slowly walked a few feet down the dark alley, not lit by any street lamps or anything. She was close to one of the sides of the street, not wanting to be far away in case she couldn't see a turn or anything.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

She had a strange feeling, like there was something watching her. She turned around, but she couldn't see anything.

"_It's so dark…"_

Suddenly, a hand reached out, covering her mouth. She tried to scream, but it was muffled by the hand that dragged her down the alley. The same one she was right by when talking to Naru.

"_Naru!"_ she tried to scream. _"Help! Naru, somebody, help me!"_

But her screams couldn't be heard. No one was nearby, and the hand over her mouth didn't help either.

She tried to struggle. Finally, she yanked herself free, head coming in contact with a wall immediately. She knew her head was bleeding, but she didn't pay attention to that now. She tried to run, but she was tripped by an unseen force. She put her hands out to catch her fall, scraping them in the process. She grunted, but was pulled up by her hair, the hand over her mouth again. She was dragged, her bare feet bleeding from open sores.

She kicked the unseen person, getting free, but again, falling in the process. She grunted, having fallen on her side, her shoulder had landed on something sharp, and she could feel herself quickly bleeding from the open wound. She attempted to crawl away, but she felt the hands again on her ankles. She screamed again, as she felt herself being dragged further into the darkness.

"_This has to be a dream."_ She thought. _"It has to be."_

Her screams were obviously not heard.

One of the hands left her feet. She saw a aqua light from an unknown source, what she guessed to be some sort of opening in the concrete.

She could see the silhouette of a man, pulling her down into the light. She screamed louder, begging that one of them be heard. She clawed at the concrete, trying to get out.

The opening to the light closed, she was positive breaking her fingers in the process. She cried out in pain.

Her fingers and the rest of her body was dragged down some sort of a ladder.

She was let go, and she dashed towards the ladder.

A fist came swirling at the back of her head, and everything went black.

...

Mai woke up rather uncomfortable. She tried to look around, only to find her neck was strapped to some sort of wood board. She attempted to move again, but she quickly realized that her wrists and ankles were also strapped. She saw a room, lit by a single, fluorescent light on the ceiling. There was a desk, with nothing but paper on it. She also noticed a small table.

On it was a knife.

"Ah, welcome back, Mai. You've been out a half an hour." She heard a creepy voice say, as a man walked out. He had orange hair covering his eyes, clothed completely in black leather. The only skin visible was his face, and even that you couldn't see much of.

"What do you want with me?" She asked, voice more raspy than she would've guessed.

"Ah, Mai. It's not you I want." He said, reaching for the knife. Her eyes widened as he came closer. The knife slashed across her stomach. She gasped in the pain. It wasn't a deep cut, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"It's your tall friend." He said, sending a slice to her hand and cheek. Her hand tightened into a fist as she closed her eyes tightly, the tears coming again.

"Naru, as you call him." He said. Her eyes shot open, and she could feel the blade deep in her shoulder.

She screamed in the agony, breathing deeply.

"You see, Mai, it's been a bit of a merry war between us. Except in the past it's become more…severe, you could say."

Another stab, this time in her stomach again.

"He thought he'd seen the last of me. But you see, I've been watching him. And I've been watching you. I was going to attack him tonight, but after witnessing what happened tonight, I thought I'd give you a choice."

He walked backwards, away from her.

"So answer me this, Mai. Should I kill Naru, or you?"

There was silence. She was shocked by the question.

"I'm giving you a choice here. Naru, or you? You don't have much time."

More silence. The man frowned.

"You drive my patience. I suppose I'll just kill him now." He said, turning and beginning to walk away.

She watched him for a moment.

"_As much as he hurt me…I just can't…"_

"Wait!" She called. The man stopped.

"Me." She said, sobbing more. "Me."

He smiled, chuckling.

He walked back to her, putting the knife down on the table.

"Just remember, you chose this."

He took the strap by her neck and tightened it.

He tightened it farther than she could handle.

Mai gasped, body shaking, eyes wide, trying hard to get air that she couldn't find.

"Naru…" She wheezed.

Then her heart stopped beating.

* * *

Well? Please tell me what you think!


	2. Missing

HOLY CRAP!

Just so you know, when I get fourteen reviews in two days for one chapter, I WILL review. :D :D :D

I love you guys. You rock.

Maybe if we all band together THEN we can own Ghost Hunt...

PS Masako has moved on from Naru in this. That's why she isn't as annoying :D :D :D (Can you guess who she likes now?)

* * *

"Has anyone seen Mai?" John asked. It was Saturday, so she didn't have school or anything. It was almost noon, and she hadn't come in yet. It seemed she had dropped of the face of the Earth.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't." Ayako admitted. Everyone straightened up, now intent in the conversation. Everyone except Naru and Lin, who were busy typing away on the computer. But even Lin turned his head slightly. Naru stayed perfectly still, as if he was a statue.

"No." Monk added.

"Sorry, I haven't." Masako agreed.

Everyone looked around at each other, not knowing why. Maybe if they looked at each other someone would say 'yes'.

"What about you, Naru?" John asked him.

"What about me?" He replied, voice as cold and uninterested as it always was.

"No one has seen Mai today. Have you?"

"No." He stated, while Lin shook his head.

"Hmm, anyone know where she lives? Maybe she slept in or something."

"If she slept in, that is highly unprofessional." Naru said, still not looking up from the computer screen.

"I know." Ayako said. "I'll go check it out." With that, she grabbed her keys. Her feet carried her out the door of SPR and to her car.

"I'll call her cell." Monk suggested. "John, can you call her apartment?"

He nodded, and they both dialed the numbers, Monk on his grey cell phone, John on the black SPR landline.

Monk pulled the phone away from his ear after a moment. "No answer."

John hung up not long after Monk. "Not on her home phone either."

"Do you think something has happened to her?" Masako suggested, her sleeve covering her mouth.

"I can't say." The Australian replied.

They worked in worry for a few more minutes. A ding was heard. Three of the five people in the room looked up from what they were doing at the sound. The door swung open as Ayako stepped back inside, panting, a worried look plastered on her face.

"She's not home." She breathed. Everyone's face contorted from curiosity into concern. "I ran into her friends and they haven't seen her either, saying they've been trying to reach her all day."

"This is serious." Monk concluded.

"She isn't home, no one has seen her, and there's no answer on her phones." Masako stated.

Monk took a step forward next to Ayako, facing the other ghost hunters. "We need to split up. Look every place Mai might be. Naru, Lin, stay here in case Mai comes. Meet back here in an hour."

Everyone nodded, and headed out.

* * *

Masako was the first one back, at a minute to one. She looked to Naru in hope, but he merely shook his head and his gaze went back to the screen. Masako sighed, a cold sweat trailed down her pale forehead.

The sound of a door opening behind her gave her the strength to turn around. It was John, who also shook his head at her. She shook it back in reply, a tear trailing down her face.

The blonde Australian walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. She hugged him back with no question.

He smoothed her normally perfect hair. "Don't worry, Masako. They'll find her." He assured, whispering in her ear. "She's gonna come running through that door. And she's going to apologize for being late again, and causing everyone to worry. Then Naru will ask her for tea, and they'll fight some more. But she'll get him tea anyway. Just like she always does."

They just stood like that for a few more minutes. The door opened again, Monk and Ayako stepping inside in a defeated manner. John and Masako stood apart, breaking the hug, looking at the two in hope.

"Did anyone find her?" Masako pleaded, letting the question hang in the air for a few seconds.

Ayako sighed. "No trace of her." She admitted.

Monk shook his head. "She wasn't anywhere I looked."

Masako gripped John's hand tight.

"She didn't…" Ayako trailed off.

"She didn't come here." Lin stated.

"Neither of us found her." Masako said, voice wavering a bit.

John gulped, looked around one last time. Then he looked to Ayako. "Call the police. We have to report a missing person."

* * *

Masako walked over to Naru while Ayako quickly dialed the numbers.

"You're quiet today."

"Aren't I always quiet?" Was his calm reply.

"Well you would think with Mai missing-"

"She isn't missing." He snapped. Masako took a step back in surprise. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming herself.

"I know that her disappearance is hard for all of us, but acting like it isn't happening won't help."

"She isn't missing." He stated again.

Suddenly, she was angry. She was _very_ angry. Her hands turned to fists as her whole body tensed. Her face turned into rage.

"Why, Naru?"

"Excuse me?"

"Mai is missing, and yet you act as if you don't care!" She snapped at him. Never before had he seen her that angry.

"She isn't missing."

"What is wrong with you, Naru? She's gone! We don't know where she may be, and you act as if Mai is just another worker for you!"

"She is just another worker, Masako." It hung in the air for a moment.

"She didn't run away or anything. She's gone, she's missing! You need to find her!" Ayako exclaimed in the background.

Her face changed yet again, this time into disbelief and shock.

"How could you say that?" She whispered. "She's your friend. She's your friend Naru!" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You're wrong. And you know it." She said, and walked away.

Naru sighed. Lin walked over to him.

"I know you think what you did was right, Naru-" Lin began.

"Yes, and I know it is. Mai shouldn't be trapped in by my complicated life. She's so free, Lin. I won't take that free spirit away from her."

"Naru-"

"She may not get it now, Lin. But she will, someday. She always does."

Lin shook his head, hiding his smirk. "You can't deny how you feel forever, you do know that."

* * *

"Where was she seen last?" The Detective asked them. Everyone was seated on the midnight sofas, Naru in the middle of course, the Detective on the other sofa. He had come over to SPR to ask some questions about Mai for the search.

"In an alley, a few blocks from here." Naru answered without missing a beat. Everyone looked at him questioningly, but didn't dare ask.

"What was she wearing?"

"Her school uniform."

The detective nodded, writing the information down in his small notebook.

"Hair color?"

"Brown."

"Eye color?"

"Brown."

The detective closed up the notebook. "I believe that's the information we'll need. My team and I will search around where she was last seen first and report back to you."

"Thank you." Naru replied and shook his hand.

* * *

The detective was looking around the alley. So far, nothing was found.

"Hey boss, you may wanna come see this!"

He walked in the direction of the voice. He entered another alley, and gasped.

* * *

"Where could she have gone?" Masako solemnly asked John, who put an arm around her comfortingly.

"I don't know, Masako." He replied, his voice quieter than usual. "I don't know."

They had been waiting for hours now for some report.

"Shouldn't we pray or something, Mr. Priest Man?" Monk asked. John nodded. They all joined hands in a circle.

"Our father," John led. Everyone soon joined in. "Who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom-"

The doors opened to SPR. The Detective and a few members of his team walked in. Immediately, everyone stood up.

He looked at each one of their worried faces and sighed. "You may all want to sit down."

Lin and Naru looked up from the computer they had both been staring at. Slowly, they walked over to the sofas and sat down.

"What happened to your workers?" Naru asked the detective.

"Oh, that?" The Detective asked, referring to the bruises and discoloration of his worker's necks. "Just some misfortune, odd events. Anyway, it's the least of your worries."

The Detective held an item in a plastic bag, the SPR no one could identify what it was.

"We searched the alley you told us about and found a few items that may interest you. We would've gotten back to you sooner, but wanted to run a few quick DNA tests on the items first, just to make sure."

He handed them the plastic bag.

"We believe this is-"

"Mai's schoolbag." Ayako gasped, finishing the detective's sentence.

"But, if you didn't find her and this is all you have, then, we wouldn't even need to know if Mai was there, right?" Masako begged. "Right?"

The Detective sighed once more. "We also went to an alley connected to the one we were searching, and we found blood. A substantial amount of blood."

There were gasps and tears throughout the room. Even Lin shook his head. Naru just stared at the Detective.

"What about the DNA test? Did it match?" Lin asked.

"The DNA and blood type both matched Mai's."

Again, Lin closed his eyes and shook his head.

"We…we also want you to see something. If you would follow us?"

* * *

They walked to the alley they had been searching. The SPR team followed closely behind. Workers were all around, writing things in notebooks, snapping pictures, running tests. Some people were answering questions for reporters, not loud enough for any one of the friends to figure what they were saying.

There was a strip of yellow ahead of them they identified as caution tape with many more workers inside it. The detective went under the tape, as did the team, Naru in front of the others.

He led the group down the other alley. They looked down, and saw the small pools and stains of blood he had been talking about. They were dark due to being older, but it was still fresh enough to fall under the red category.

There was _so much_ of it.

"The smeared blood, well the blood in general suggests foul play, but especially the smears suggest a struggle."

He led them to about halfway through, then stopped the group.

"Well, what is it?" Naru asked angrily, looking around for something that might be significant about being there.

The Detective bent down and lifted up a piece of the concrete to reveal a ladder carved into the wall of the hole.

"Do you see these marks in the concrete?" the Detective asked. The team bent down closer and did see about eight lines in the gravel. "This also suggests a struggle, as if someone was pulled down against their will. If you will follow me?"

They all climbed down the ladder, helping each other not to slip off of the barely stable juts of concrete. They walked through a tunnel, dark, black, it was unable to see anything. They walked for a few minutes down the uninviting hallway until they came to a door. It was a black door, a small window in it, with bars across it. The door was opened, to reveal a single room. But the room itself was not what surprised the horrified group of people

It was the workers, the tools, the bloodstains, and the chalk outline on the floor.

Naru swallowed. "Why were we brought here?"

There was no reply, just a man who should've answered that, instead, closed his eyes and drooped his head.

There was silence as the workers looked up, understanding who these people were.

"I asked you a question, sir. And I expect an answer." He said again.

There was silence. The group looked around for some clue as to what exactly they were doing there. They had an idea, none of them wanted to believe what was being implied.

The Detective sighed. "Your friend…is right there."

He didn't say anything, just telling them she was a place none of them dared look.

Ayako dared look to her right.

"MAI!"She screamed, sobs coming out, face soaked in two seconds. The others looked, and sure enough, on a stretcher, was a girl with brown hair, eyes closed, blood staining her clothes.

It was Mai.

And she wasn't breathing.

* * *

REVIEWS!

Glorytommy: That was my reaction too when I first thought of the idea. It is ironic, isn't it? :D Thanks!

PauleenAnne: Sorry I didn't get this up yesterday. I'm busy! Glad you like it though!

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: Hope this second chapter is living up to your expectations!

Aktaiy: Glad you liked it :D Hope ya liked the chapter

Angelic Kitsune: Exactly what I was going for. Thanks for telling me that's what I was doing! Keep reading, cuz twists and turns abound, mwahahahaaaa... :)

CrazyGHcrackaddict: Ack! Stop fainting! *splashed water over head* phew. :D Yeah, he'll get better, but for the first chappie he kinda did have to be a bastard.

Torresd1391: Well now ya know! :D

crazylittlecheezer: Thanks! It's a really nice review you wrote :D It is hard to find time but worth it!

Kimeko-Dono- Yes. Quite. :)

Meri47: :D :D :D I'll keep it up.

girlx901: Yeah...I kinda expected people to feel that way about Naru... but I can't kill him. Worry not, I have plans...:D :D :D

herbblood: Good to know you can't wait!

Alice: This one's for you!

StormyxTragedyLove-ME: Thanks! I'm happy you like it!

I'll see if I can update soon. Thanks for the reviews!


	3. Limbo

I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL!

I'm so sorry this chappie took so long to do, but I really wanted to make this a good one. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks to GilShalos for PMing me and giving me some constructive critisism!

P.S. Yes, I own Ghost Hunt. Just like Ayako is a virgin.

_

* * *

The strain on her neck was too much to bear._

_She choked, her lungs felt as if they were about to explode._

_She gasped, she needed air that couldn't come to her._

_She closed her eyes, she didn't want to look at that terrible person anymore._

_Her body quivered and shook as she felt the life leave her body._

_And then she was still, and she was gone._

Her chocolate eyes opened as she saw a familiar setting around her. She was on a glowing white platform...thing, she could see the souls rising up, the colored glow standing out from the surrounding pitch blackness. Strange. She used to think this place was beautiful. It didn't seem beautiful now, it just seemed cold and uninviting. Hadn't she just been in that room? Hadn't she just been tortured? What was she doing here?

Was this death?

It hadn't been what she had expected. She always thought she would be in a meadow. A meadow full of the greenest grass she would ever see. A rainbow of flowers would blow in the cool breeze as the sunlight comfortably would warm her face. She would see her parents on the horizon, and she would run and be with them for all eternity.

She hadn't been expecting this.

It was so _cold_. She was freezing but could not freeze. She hugged herself closer, but that didn't help her either. It made no difference like it did on Earth. It did not warm her the slightest bit. She took an unneeded deep breath. She couldn't see her breath like she would on Earth. She huddled in a ball, which, too, made no difference, but it was a habit she had no intention of breaking anytime soon. Her teeth chattered. Why was it cold? This didn't seem like any heaven she had imagined or any hell either. So where exactly was she? Was this some sort of in-between? She couldn't completely figure it out. She looked around for some sign that anyone else was there, on that small platform she had visited in her dreams once. There was no one.

She looked down. It seemed that the blackness went on and on. Curiosity got the best of her and she swung her legs over, wondering if she should jump or not. Would it take her to a better place?

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice came from behind her. She jerked around. A tall man with deep blue eyes and midnight hair met her gaze.

"Naru? Are you…?"

He merely offered his pale hand for her. She just looked at it, looked at him. He looked just like the Naru in her dreams. He was even smiling like him.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"If you jump, you'll end up falling. Forever." Was his reply. She looked back down. It _did_ seem to never end. She looked back to him, taking a good look, and took his hand. She could feel him effortlessly helping her up, back onto the platform. She now stood right in front of him.

"Naru?" She asked again. He shook his head.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mai. My name is Gene. I'm Naru's brother."

Mai looked at the ground for a moment, calculating this in her head. Her head snapped back to his face.

"But…I'm dead. That would mean…you're dead?"

He nodded, his face solemn.

It looked far too much like the Naru she knew.

Suddenly, a realization came to her.

"It was you who was in my dreams, wasn't it? You're the one who guided me this whole time."

He nodded again.

She shivered again, she was almost positive the place had dropped a few degrees.

"Why…w-why is it so c-cold?" She stuttered.

"It's always like that here." He replied. She looked up at him, he had his same eyes.

"And where is _here?_"

He chuckled, smiling at her. "We're in a sort of personal limbo. Since our killer has not yet been caught…" They both turned to look at the souls, rising up against the pitch blackness. "…we're stuck here as earthbound spirits."

She looked at him, confusion laced on her face. "But aren't earthbound spirits, oh I don't know…BOUND TO THE EARTH!" She exclaimed, waving her hands in frustration. Why was she here? Why wasn't she there?

He merely smiled down at her. "We are. We are connected to the Earth, and can go there when we please."

"I don't get it." She confessed. "Then why stay here in this terrible place?"

He tilted his head forward, closing his dark eyes. "Because it will happen again."

"What-" She began, but was cut off by his gasp. She heard sickening cracks of his bones, she could see his body being crushed by an unknown source. He collapsed to the floor.

"Gene?" She asked hesitantly.

His breathing was quick and shallow. Then the sounds of an old woman crying out in horror echoed through their personal limbo.

Then it happened again.

Blood was seeping through his clothes, soaking them in the process. Mai looked, terrified, as she could see even a little bit of broken bone sticking out through his arm. The cracks were loud. They were so loud.

"Gene!" She yelled, bending down to her knees. She soaked herself in the red liquid, trying to stop the blood from pouring. But it was no use. There was too much, this was too much. She couldn't stop it.

Then his whole body was soaked with water, it spread out across the platform.

Mai shook, not because of the cold, but because of the terror that overtook her.

"G…Gene?" She whispered. "Don't leave me, please. Don't leave me alone here."

She didn't want to look anymore. She couldn't look anymore. It was too much, just too much. So she didn't. She turned away, sitting there in her loneliness. It seemed like a few minutes. She couldn't tell anymore, there was no way to tell in this place.

She heard a grunt behind her. She turned back.

The blood, the water, it was all gone. He was just standing there as if nothing had happened.

"G-Gene?" She wondered aloud. He smiled _that_ smile. Normally it would bring a blush to her face. Now, it only reminded her of…

He offered her his pale hand. "This is why I don't like to leave."

She put her small hand in his as he helped her up. "What do you mean?"

"Since we are attached to the Earth, and since we are stuck here because of our murders, we experience them again." A chill was sent down Mai's spine. "We can only experience them here, though. So if we are on Earth, we are forced back here, dragged, it's not the most pleasant thing to experience before it happens again."

"So, you mean I'll have to experience _that_ again?" She asked, gripping his hand she still held tight.

He frowned. "Take the pain from your death, and triple it."

She was scared. She couldn't fear for her life. No, she just feared death, all over again. She shook her head, eyes wide, some stray, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. How was it even possible to cry? She didn't care what the answer was.

"And Mai?" She looked back up to him.

"I'm sorry for what my brother said. You must know he truly doesn't mean it."

Mai clenched her fists and angrily wiped the tears from her eyes. She turned her back to Gene, crossing her arms defiantly.

"You just _had_ to bring _him_ up." She said quietly.

She didn't know if she could handle all the emotions her spirit had at the moment. There was an unbelievable amount of anguish, sadness, and hatred flooding her soul. She couldn't help it, and she couldn't deny it.

_How could he do this to me?_

"Mai-" The twin began, but she cut him short before he had the chance to continue any further.

"I had a life." She said, shaking. "I had a full and happy life to live. I had friends, they were my family. I had more life to live. How could he kill me?"

"Naru didn't kill you, Mai."

Just the sound of his name ripped out her not beating heart.

"I gave myself up for the man who turned me down, Gene." She said, tears streaming down her face. "I gave myself up for _him_. Don't you get it, Gene? I was dead the moment he responded. That man just finished the job."

"Mai…"

She trembled. The hatred she had for him was eating at her skin. She died because of him, why did _he_ get to live?

Because she still loved him, that's why.

But the thing was, she didn't know how to feel anymore. She could barely tell love from hate any more than she could tell those spirits apart. She was almost positive it was hate.

And that was enough to drive her insane.

How could he make her hate him? She hated him just for that fact.

Her fists tightened yet again. She needed to find him. She _needed_ to find him. Wasn't he supposed to set her free or something? Shouldn't he find her? She felt a strange energy leave her body, but she had no idea why.

But then again, why would he rescue someone he hates?

If he couldn't rescue her, she _would _make him pay for taking her from the people she loved.

And despite Gene's debate, she faded away from that terrible place.

She wouldn't stop until she found him.

* * *

"Mai…" Monk whispered, sobbing, stroking her bloodstained hair gently. "Come on, Mai. Get up. Please, get up…"

Ayako was bawling into Monk's arm, clutching it forcefully.

Masako was hugging John tight, burying her face into his chest, light tears falling down her cheeks.

"John, tell me it isn't true." She begged.

His face was in her black hair, cries escaping down his face as well. His eyes were fixed on the girl in front of him.

"I wish I could." He whispered back to her.

Her tears got louder. "Y-You said it would be a-alright!"

"I know I did." John's tears came quicker as well as his face buried deeper into the crook of her neck. "I'm so sorry Masako."

Lin took her Mai's cold, slit palm and caressed it, a single tear flowing down his distraught face. The hand that was holding hers tightened. It wasn't fair. First Gene, then Mai.

"_I don't want you to hate me just because I'm Japanese!"_

Why did they have to say the exact same thing? And why did they both end up dead?

Naru just watched the scene from the background. Everyone was sobbing, everyone was crying. Everyone but him. He didn't look sad or heartbroken. No, he looked angry.

He looked _very_ angry.

He gazed at the girl who, not even a day ago, he had lied to.

_I've been working for you for a long time, and, we've gotten closer, and, I think…I think…I think I love you, Naru. And I just need to know how you feel about me._

His heart should've soared when she said that. As a matter of fact, it did. But only part of it, most of it sank into his stomach.

Naru just had too complicated a life, and the two fought. They just fought _so much_. If he lost her to either of those facts, he didn't know what he would do.

The thing that hurt was that he left her that night, his broken heart forcing him to leave her there. Yes, he had seen the tears in her eyes. Only the thought that it was for the best urged him forward. And he lost her anyway.

"When?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" The Detective replied, not seeming to have understood.

"When…when do you think she was killed?"

The Detective sighed. "We think sometime between ten and eleven o'clock last night, based off of the look of the blood and corpse."

Naru's fists clenched. It hadn't been long after ten when he left her. Why didn't he hear anything? She must've screamed.

"Naru?" Lin asked, a pained expression on his face. Naru simply kept staring at her, body vibrating from how tense all of his muscles were. Of course Lin would know how he would react. Naru loved her, after all.

He turned on his heel and stomped towards the door. Instead of opening it and storming out like everyone expected, Naru punched the wooden door, so hard it bent, almost snapped in half. He knew his knuckles were bleeding.

The thing was, though, he didn't care.

He leaned on the concrete wall next to what used to be the entrance to the horrible place. He put one hand on it in a fist, the other an open palm. He leaned his forehead against it. He couldn't control it anymore. He let out his emotions in tears that came in significantly large amounts from his deep blue eyes.

"_I'm so sorry Mai. I let you down."_ He thought to himself, not able to muster any words at the moment.

"Why?" Ayako asked, bringing her face from Monk's soaking sleeve. The Detective looked at her, a sad expression in his eye. "Why did you have to bring us here? You could've taken us to a morgue, or shown us a picture. Anything but this." And her face went back to disposing of her tears on Monk's arm.

"I didn't need to see this place." Monk added. "None of us did. So why bring us down here?"

"'Cause you'll be down here a whole lot if you're nice!" one of the workers yelled. The Detective shot him an annoyed look.

"I'm not going to have them deal with their friend's death and this, alright?" He replied. "You will respect their feelings right now, understood?"

"What's going on?" John asked looking up from Masako's shoulder and to the scene in front of him.

"I can see that I surely couldn't tell you now. This young girl was obviously close to you, and you deserve-"

"What we deserve," Came to voice from behind him. It was Naru's broken voice. "Is an answer."

"Go on, tell 'em!" One of the other workers shouted. "It's dangerous down here. They're pros. Someone could get killed next time!"

The Detective sighed. "I can see I have no choice. I don't expect you to accept, and I wouldn't blame you."

"You're seriously asking if we'll take a case?" Lin shouted. Everyone turned to face the Detective.

Masako gasped.

"What is it?" John asked her, stroking her hair gently.

"Someone's here."The horrified whisper escaped her mouth.

"What case can be so important, sir." Naru asked, though the tone didn't hint at a question at all. His voice held no question, only anguish.

"Remember when you asked about what happened to my workers necks?"

_"What happened to your workers?"_

_"Oh, that? Just some misfortune, odd events. Anyway, it's the least of your worries."_

"Well, it was odd events. But these events keep happening over and over, and only to the males who are working on this investigation. They go disappearing from the alley, from here, and come back with their necks swollen and bruised, saying they've been strangled by a ghost. On some occasions they don't even go disappearing. It's horrifying, those two hands around their neck. The ghost always goes away before the victim is killed, but it comes back too often for comfort."

Naru shook his head. "You really expect us to-"

"We'll take it." Masako interrupted, looking as innocent as a porcelain doll.

Naru looked at her with a pained expression. Why would she say that? Why would she do that to all of them?

"Masako." He whispered, guilt and sadness prominent in his tone.

"Naru, what if it's-"

"It's not Mai!" He snapped. Everyone was still crying silently in the background. "Mai would never…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Naru, we owe it to Mai. We weren't there for her when she was alive. If it is her, we have to help her move on." She urged. The rest of the SPR team looked at the ground somberly. Naru sighed, more tears falling down his cheeks.

"Alright. We'll do this, for Mai."

"I know this will be hard for you." The Detective said. "But you must know, we're eternally grateful. And your friend will be, too."

Abruptly, a masculine scream was heard from the hall, the falling of metal objects hitting the floor.

"Good God, It's happening again." Whispered the Detective gravely.

He broke down the door completely. Everyone could see perfectly fine from where they were what was going on.

Before them, they saw a middle aged worker. He had blonde hair, his wide, bulging eyes were green. He was lifted off the floor by a sort of fog. But anyone could plainly see it was no ordinary fog. No one knew of a normal fog in the shape of arms, hands wrapped tightly around the man's neck.

John was clutched by Masako as they both watched the sight. He put his arm around her in comfort, placing his head next to hers. "Our father, who art in heaven…" He whispered in her ear.

"I don't know!" Came a strangled plea from the man being tortured.

Then, the man was released, and it seemed as if the hand was dragged away, the fog fading. The man breathed heavily.

Masako sank to the ground, sobbing her heart out. John went with her. Everyone was staring at them in confusion.

"Masako, what's wrong?" John asked her.

Her body was quivering as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"I can sense her." She whispered. "That spirit…the one who just strangled the man is angry, she's looking for someone."

Everyone moved a little closer to her. There was a moment where the only sound was Masako's sobbing was the only thing heard. It was one of those moments you could swear there was dramatic music playing from some unknown source.

"That was Mai."

* * *

Hope you liked! WohoooO! (almost) EXACTLY 3,000 words! Ack, I'm worn out. I used my awesome PK powers to write this story.

I had _many_ requests on bringing Naru's brother, Gene, into the story. Bear with me, I'm not an expert on Ghost Hunt, I haven't read the manga, but I read some stuff on a website. I think I have a pretty good idea...

And their 'personal limbo' is that pretty place where Mai first dreamed about Na...Gene. :D

And yes, I'm made this chapter a little fast-paced, but don't hate the Detective. He and the workers are just freaked, and I tried to make the Detective sound sincere! Let's just say they didn't know exactly how close Mai and the others were, since, um, they somehow knew she was an orphan or something. Work with me here please! :) And yes, they're all still sad, and crying, and grieving, just so you know. :D

HOLY CRAP! Is that the number of reviews? 36? Really? None of my other fics were this popular! :D :D :D :D

Alrighty...responses! :)

girlX901: Hehe :D Thanks! Good to know my writing is impressive! Yeah, poor Mai is right indeed! :(

StormyxTragedyLove-ME- Mhmm... They're all so sad! Hope ya liked the chapter!

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan- Hahaha, hope you enjoyed this one as well! I'll keep it up, no worries.

Angelic Kitsune: My guilty pleasure-when people tear up cuz of my fics. :D Sorry, she died! :( Yeah...I'd say Naru is wallowing in guilt here...and that's what happened next :D :D :D

sarasaysrawr: Yay! Intense=totally what I was goin for! Hehe, yeah, I get it :D Hope ya like da chappie!

midnight32: Interesting theory. I do have the story planned out, but you're very creative! That'd definitely be an interesting read. And you'll find out why Mai...soonish...maybe... And it doesn't sound pathetic or snobby at all! As for them being together...

XxNatsuMikan4everxX: Yeah, she is :( Yeah, Naru was a bastard (haha, I got that a _lot_ :D) But he did it out of _loooooove_ :D :D :D Yep, he cried, just cuz u were so determined!

Kimeko-Dono: Yeah, kinda a lame response. Sorry bout that :) Sorry! It had to be done! Yeah, I couldn't make Masako die, cuz this is a Naru/Mai story, and...she just couldn't, I wouldn't do that to John, he's too adorable! :D Plus, I just needed to kill Mai, cuz...I just had to...not that I have anything _against_ Mai...Oh crap, now _you_ think _I'm_ bipolar...

herbblood: :D :D :D I'm glad you enjoyed it! Hope you liked!

Holmesz: I'm sorry! For this fic to exist I had to kill her! You will enjoy the ending, though. Guaranteed. :D

Aktaiy: Hmm, interesting. "That was too much" was kinda a theme for Mai in this chappie...OMG! You have psychic powers! Yes! Tears! Um, you're welcome :D Thanks!

PauleenAnne: Thank you! That means so much! Hahahaha...he will suffer. No worries. Mwahahaha...

summerbirdy: Yeah, I'd say he feels pretty bad... And YES! Mai didn't deserve to die :(

Black-x-Kimono-x-otaku: Yay! Sadness!...uh, I mean, awwwwww, don't be sad...Haha, I'm sure Naru appreciated you yelling at him :D Haha, JxM! :D :D :D Hahaha, yours is one of the funniest reviews someone has left me. :)

Molly: Yus! Desolate Naru Time! :D

HopelessRomantic31: OMG! THANKS FOR THE REVIEW! Lol :) Haha, I fulfiled both your wishes! Only one wish left from the magical genie... Glad ya like!

.: Sorry, she is. :( Hehe, hope you like his reaction... :D Hehe, I updated! Glad you love it!

PainedHeart18: Thanks! I'll continue, no worries! I'm happy you like it so far!

Stillicidium: Thanks! I hoped you liked the chapter! Haha, he just loves her too much!

TuTsXxX: I really am hoping you enjoyed reading on in this chapter! :)

lunarianmaiden51: Haha, SUSPENSE-Well, I guess the next one would be...now... :D

Well, goodbye for now! RnR! No flames!


	4. Can't Anybody Save Me

Hey! It's a very late update! :D :D :D

I just want to let all of you know, I am VERY grateful for getting over 60 reviews total! Y'all are the best :)

Enjoy! The next update is gonna be after I (finally) update "Dark Secret" . If you are Avatar: The Last Airbender fans, please check it out! If you haven't seen the show, I strongly recommend it!

And also, if you guys would just send some prayers for someone close to me who's sick right now, I'd much appreciate it.

Here ya go!

* * *

Mai could feel herself once again leaving the hell in which she resided. The coldness that once enveloped her entire being was replaced by a chill, a slight improvement. She took in a deep breath of the familiar world, it was like a heaven compared to her current home. Her eyes opened. It was no surprise what she saw. Her spirit had not yet adjusted to the new environment. It would take at least a few minutes before she could make out anything other than blurs of men and women.

She could tell which gender was which. It was all dependant on their spirits, women's spirits tended to have a warmer color to them, perhaps a red or yellow. Men's spirits tended to be blues or purples. Even if she couldn't really see anyone clearly, she could plainly see the colored aura that surrounded them.

There, however, was one thing she saw plainly.

Her body.

It always pained her to see her battered body. It brought back the memories of the pain, the eyes that she saw just before she died danced in her mind.

She wasted no time. She was sure she would find him this time. Too many times had she caused pain to someone when she realized it wasn't the one she was looking for. She didn't mean to hurt those men. It wasn't her fault, she didn't have the time to wait before she attacked. If she waited too long…

She tried not to think about it.

A sound echoed throughout the room. It sounded as if it was a wood breaking. She hurriedly flew to the door, passing through it without a problem. There, in the hallway, she found a blur, with a dark blue aura about him.

It had to be him. It just _had _to be.

She raised her hands, aiming for what had to be the neck.

_Time to join me, Naru._ She thought to herself. _Let's see how you like it when you get taken from who you love. Time for you to feel what I felt. This time, It _**will**_ be your time.._

She could feel her hands touch the soft skin of the neck, swiftly lifting him in the air. She could hear his grunts, his wheezes.

She chuckled. "How does it feel, Naru?"

He was starting to become a bit clearer, but she did not yield. "…please…" He managed out. His voice, she couldn't place it.

The man was now much clearer. He looked to be in his late twenties, early thirties, short blonde hair and bulging green eyes.

She frowned. She had been wrong yet again.

"Where's Naru?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"I don't know!" The man forced out.

"He needs to know! He needs to know what happened! Where-"

She cut off, feeling a hand wrap around her ankle. Her chocolate eyes widened, she slowly looked down, not releasing her grip.

There it was, the red fog around her ankle that was to take her back.

Apparently, she had been there longer than she thought. This only happened once at least every few hours.

She snapped her gaze back to the man in front of her. She heard his gasp. Her face was contorted into a pained sorrow and fear.

Silently, she said her last few words before being dragged back off.

"Please. Help me. Save me." She whispered.

Her ankle was suddenly tugged on, it was dragging her back. She screamed, it's high pitched sound seeming to echo off the walls that didn't acknowledge she was there. Her arms were outstretched, as if hoping someone would grab onto her hand. To tell the truth, she wished someone would.

_Can't anybody save me?_

She frantically looked around, and, as if in slow motion, made eye contact with one human who seemed to stand out from the rest.

Masako.

Then it was colder.

Naru's voice quivered. "What do you mean that was Mai?" He demanded.

"It's terrible." She sobbed. John stroked her hair, silently comforting her. "I could sense a spirit the moment I got in here, but I never thought…and when the Detective said the case, I had my suspicions, but…" She shook her head. "She's in so much pain." Came her hushed whisper. "She looked so scared." Her sobs grew harder.

"You saw her?"

She nodded. "She kept asking the man something, but I couldn't hear her. And then, a could tell she was screaming, but I only heard one thing."

"Well?"

There was silence for a moment, the only sound being Masako's sobs, accompanied by some others crying as well. Then she spoke.

"Can't anybody save me?"

Gasps were heard throughout the room.

"She's still here…because she wants to be saved?" Ayako wondered.

Masako shook her head again. "There's more. I can sense there's more. But…"

"But what? Come on, Masako, what!"

"Sometimes…it's like she isn't here at all, and sometimes, it's as if she's searching, trying to destroy something. And then…she just fades away."

"We should start questioning as soon as possible." Naru spoke up, his face as expressionless as if it was just another day. "We need to find out what it is she wants. Hara-san, Lin, John, you stay here and help with the interviews. Monk, you get Ayako out of here as soon as possible and start getting the equipment here. Here are the keys to the van." Naru instructed, throwing the key into his hand. Monk nodded, and guided Ayako out.

"Alright, everyone stop!" Lin shouted. The workers obeyed. "May I have everyone who has experienced paranormal activity outside now please!" John, Masako, Naru and Lin led the group outside, beyond the caution tape to a place that seemed relatively calm. He handed Naru a clipboard he had picked up, not caring what trouble it caused. On it there was a single sheet of paper.

"Write down any messages that seem important. She's trying to tell us something." He whispered to Naru. He nodded, taking the clipboard.

"Everyone, single file line!" Lin ordered again, sitting down with John and Masako. He pulled his ever present laptop out of his jacket and opened it up, beginning to type angrily. John put his arm around Masako. She put her head on his shoulder, and he put his on her head without hesitation. Both still had silent tears still falling. You would think they'd be out of tears by that point.

Naru stood with his back against the brick wall, arms crossed. The first person in line stepped forward. He seemed a bit older, stating his name as Akira Toro.

"Well, needless to say, I hadn't been entirely convinced in the stories of my co-workers being strangled. I thought they were just trying to get out of work, this case is quite gruesome, and most of the men who were 'attacked' had been somewhat new. But then, as I was examining the knife one time, I felt two hands grab me, one hand over my mouth. I couldn't scream. Then, the next thing I know, I'm held against a wall, held off the ground by my neck. The fog seems to become clearer, and I see the girl. At first she looks furious, but then it's like she actually sees me for the first time, too. The only thing she says is 'Where is he?' Then it's like she's scared of something."

Naru's fists clenched.

"Then, she just says five words, and it's like she's dragged away. I don't know why, but I end up wanting to help the girl that just tried to kill me."

Naru's piercing eyes turned into slits. "What were the words?"

"Huh? Oh, the words. Apparently, she says it to all of her victims."

"The words." Naru demanded.

Toro sighed. "She says 'Please. Help me. Save me."

"Breathe, Mai." Gene instructed. She clutched his hand. Mai was on the ground, again re-experiencing death. Already, her head had an open gash; her feet felt as if they were scraping across rough concrete with needles on it. It was like a knife had dug itself into her shoulder.

She guessed that, when you're being murdered, the only thing you focus on is getting away, surviving. But when you had no life to save, you could finally see just how much blood you actually shed. Already there was a puddle of her blood below her. A hundred pound weight landed on her fingers, crushing them. She cried out in pain.

"Come on, Mai. I know it hurts, but please. Deep breaths." Gene attempted. But it was no use. Reliving death was not a pleasant experience.

A metal bat hit the back of her head, but she could not pass out. So the process immediately continued.

The slash across her stomach seemed to be ten times deeper than how deep it actually was. The blood crawled down out of her body and trickled down her skin. She had been sobbing for a while by this point.

Her hand and cheek were ripped open, she was sure by the amount of pain it gave her. But her hand was still clutching Gene's, so it had to just be the hell she was in.

Her other shoulder was pierced next. Gene couldn't have been more right when he had said this experience was triple the pain of death. It seemed no matter how many times it happened, you could never get used to it.

It was as if an axe dug into her stomach again. She screamed once more.

Then, her throat was squeezed, as if someone were strangling her, choking her, whatever you liked to call it. But no ordinary person. A freakishly strong sumo wrestler/body builder.

After a few seconds, she was still. She found she could breathe again, even though she didn't need to. The blood made its way back into her body, her wounds were mended and closed once more. It continued until even her head was completely normal. She gasped, coughing a bit.

He damned her to this when he left her alone.

_Why, Naru? Why? Why couldn't you hear me? Why couldn't you save me? Naru…_

They were almost done with the line of men. Naru was getting frustrated. It was always the same story. Lin had barely typed anything in that half an hour!

Finally they were at the last person. Naru looked at her in confusion. It was a brunette woman, with brown eyes. Not nearly as chocolate as Mia's, though, Naru noted.

She was probably in her mid-twenties. She was thin and a bit tall; the blue shirt stood out against her fair skin and black pants.

"Um, hello." He spoke shyly and quietly. Lin seemed to take notice of the female voice and readied his hands to type. "My name is Himeka Tomita."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and assume that you haven't been strangled." Naru said with narrowed eyes.

"Um, well, no. Okay, here's the story. I'm an assistant doctor on this case. Me and a few other doctors are here to examine the body and the girl's fatal injuries. I was sent to go up and get some more supplies. As I climbed up into the alley, I was alone. Everyone else was working in the larger alley. The bloodstains were marked off, so that we didn't step on them and disturb the crime scene. As I was walking back, I suddenly heard a sound. _Drip. Drip. Drip._ It was coming from my right. So, naturally, I turned. There were messages written on the wall in blood. They said things like 'He did this to me' and 'Make it stop'. I felt so sad and sorry for this girl, I suddenly felt as if she were in pain. I don't know how. I just did. There were two messages, however, that were larger, and more prominent that the rest."

Naru's fists were clenched, his body shaking from the tension. _She's trying to tell us something. What is it you want us to know, Mai? Why are you hurting people?_

_Mai…_

"What were these messages?"

She gulped. "One said 'I'm going to find you'. When I read that one, I felt like she was angry. But then I read the other and was sad again. Sad and scared."

"What was the other one, Himeka-san?"

"The other one was 'Can't anybody save me?'"

Naru's clipboard snapped in half.

* * *

I know that doctors wouldn't examine the body on the scene of the crime, and there are some other things that aren't realistic. Please work with me here! I'm bending reality for this story.

REVIEWS!

StormxTragedyLove-ME: :D Thanks. Way to be the 1st reviewer! Here it is!

animefan246: Hmmm, Naru dying...well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see! Thank you so much!

TuTsXxX: Yus! Tears! Uh...I mean...yes! Mai _shall_ kick ass! Hehe...

Aktaiy: Haha! Thank you very much! Keep on crying! XD

lunarianmaiden51: Yep, it's Mai! Sigh, I'm being so cruel to everyone. Oh well, the ending will...I almost said too much :)

crazylittlecheezer: It's very sad...but is she _really_ gone? Hmmm :D SUPERNATURAL SHTUFF!

sakura-moonrose-hime: Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the (insert dun dun dun) reaction.

.: Sorry I didn't upload as fast this time! Yep, she's looking for him :D.

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan- Thanks! Haha, and in that case, I will!

sousie: Thanks! Hope you enjoyed!

Katie: You'll have to see whether I kill him or not...mwahaha...Mai isn't supposed to be harsh, she's just supposed to be sorta lost and sad, wondering how Naru could just leave her to die. :( Poor Mai...

Kimeko-Dono: Hahaha :D It's chica, don't worry! Yes, John is too hot to be hurt (insert one of those 'if-only-he-wan't-a-priest' moments...)

Holmesz: Sorry! No closer to capturing the killer. That'll probably come after...something more important...:D

herbblood: lol, that's totally fine. I love getting reviews like that :D

archangelBBQ: Haha, thanks! I keep trying to make it seem like it fits... yeah, worry not, Gene will be an ever-present being. She isn't _evil_ yet...but maybe...

Black-x-kimono-x-otaku: Haha, LOVE the poem! Ah, I knew it. There would be at least _one_ person to still be all 'Naru you bastard this is what you get!' and yet they also say poor Naru :D (I love my reviewers :D) Haha, **coffee...** Yeah, I've always loved that relationship between Mai and Monk with the brotherly love. Sorry, I'm busy!

spinningaround7: Maybe I'll kill him, maybe I won't :) Ack! Now I'm kinda afraid that the ghost will come after me...

MoonPieNinjaDJWriter: JOHNMASAKO! FTW! ;) And I hope this shed some light on the 'Mai strangling everyone' thing...

scarletskies-x: Mwahaha, who said I had to be fair, now? Yup, she wants _v**e**n**g**e**a**n**c**e..._haha, Thanks!

BloddyXandra: Thank you for reviewing! It means a lot.

Ginni3: :D And get this: It's STILL partly a romance story! Win Win! And I think your wish may just come true... Ah! I hope you didn't hurt yourself! *worries*

Animuze: Haha, thank you!

Dark Angel Winry Rockbell: Thanks!

Kate Linton: I know, there aren't enough JxM stories in this world... *shakes head*. You're welcome! Thanks!

cherryblossom1031: Here ya go!

Bibi you all!


	5. Séance

It's me again! Sorry for the late update! Anyways, I was determined to update Dark Secret first since I had been so focused on this and sort of neglecting it, but it just didn't happen. I got 2 PM's asking when I was gonna update, and I decided that I just _needed_ to update **now**. So I spent almost an entire day doing all this typing and research about Gene and stuff to make this chapter happen! Again, sorry it took so long! Hope you like!

I'm sort of dissatisfied with this chapter cuz I think I kinda rushed through it and didn't revise as well as I could've. Plus, it's like a Oliver Davis history lesson. But I'm satisfied and happy enough to post it regardless.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you all SO much for all the great reviews. The ridiculous average of reviews per chapter (21!) is really what got me motivated for this and is why I haven't updated Dark Secret in months (Averaging 2 per chapter. Please read if you're an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan!)

Onto the chapter!

* * *

"Naru, are you sure you want to do this?" Lin asked, voice wavering. The man in black simply nodded in reply. Lin sighed, setting the white, lit candles on the table in the dark room: the same one Mai was murdered in. Ayako was holding back tears as she forcefully clutched Monk's hand, who was kneeling at her right.

The group was all kneeling around the small candle-lit table. John was next to Masako, clutching her trembling hand. On her other side was Ayako, then Monk, and standing across from Masako were Naru and Lin.

"Masako, are _you_ sure you want to do this?" Monk asked. Masako stayed still, squeezing John's hand harder.

John looked at her, placing his hand on her left cheek, guiding her face to turn towards his. "He's right, you know. You don't have to do anything you aren't comfortable with." He assured, his thumb stroking her tense hand.

She closed her eyes and started to give her answer.

"I…when she was alive, I treated her so badly for the longest time." She whispered, body shaking. "I wasn't there for her when she was alive, when she was being killed. I wasn't there." Still facing the floor, her blue eyes slowly opened. "She's trying to tell us something. She needs us. She…" Masako turned her gaze to the flame. "That's why…that's why…"

John covered their entwined hands with his other one. A shining tear made its way down her cheek, dripping onto her lap.

"That's why…I have to be there for her this time. Whatever it takes…I'll do anything to give her peace, whatever it takes to help her." Her eyes closed once more. "I have to."

The room was quiet and dark. The only light came from the two candles that burned on the table. The vertical, bloodstained board that Mai died on was right in Masako's view. She took a deep breath.

Lin put a piece of paper down in front of Masako. It loomed before her.

'Tanyama Mai. Date of Birth: July 3rd. Date of Death: April 27th.'

"Are you ready?" Naru asked, face hard. It seemed to say to her 'Please, you have to do this. For Mai. For my Mai.' The medium nodded. "Then let's begin."

The candles seemed to grow brighter as Masako placed the paper on Mai's shirt that Ayako and Takigawa had gotten from Mai's apartment while they were out.

Masako closed her eyes and took another breath.

_'I call upon the power within me to reach beyond this world in order to seek what was lost.'_ She thought. A cold feeling rushed over her as the vision in her head became a sparkling multi-color, surrounding her with all colors of the rainbow.

"_Don't leave me alone here…Naru…Naru…" _Masako heard a voice, it seemed so close, but so far away.

_'I call upon Tanyama Mai. Please, use me to channel your feelings, your grief, your message which you have for us. I commend my body for the time being into your hands.'_

A light guided her through the darkness, it was like she was dreaming, but she could feel everything.

The séance had begun.

Meanwhile, Mai was sitting with Gene, their legs hanging over the edge, staring out at the glowing balls of colorful light that surrounded her, standing out from the blackness. They were all free. None of _them_ were bound to the Earth for an unknown reason as she and Gene were.

"Mai, you should know that my brother is not all who he says he is." She glanced at the almost-perfect spirit questioningly. He looked down at his lap and smiled as he started to speak again. "Our earliest memories are of an American orphanage. Of course, since death, I can remember everything as if it were yesterday, crystal clear, from the moment we took our first breaths. But as far as memories I had alive, it was that orphanage. We were born in Japan and raised there when we were young. However…" He trailed off, and Mai understood completely. "We were adopted by a British couple when we were 8 years old. Martin and Luella Davis."

_'It couldn't be…'_ Mai shook her head, it was absolutely impossible.

"Martin is a psychic researcher who works with the British SPR organization." Mai cringed. The name still sent a stab to her non-beating heart. "They named me 'Gene', and Naru 'Noll'."

_'Noll? What a weird name. SPR? Psychic researcher? It still couldn't.'_

"My full name is Eugene J. A. Davis, and his is Oliver E. C. Davis."

Mai shot her head to look at Gene's face. "Oliver Davis? _The_ Oliver Davis? The Psychokinetic, Bou-san worshiped, found the boy buried alive Oliver Davis?"

Gene chuckled. "Surprised you were in love with the famous ghost hunter, Mai?"

A blush crept to the pale skin of her cheeks as Mai turned away, suddenly very interested in her lap.

Gene merely smiled again and looked back down at his.

"We were connected. In order for Noll to control his PK, we sort of bounced it back and forth between us until he could use it without it being too much for his body to handle. He's really smart you know."

_'Well duh…'_ Mai thought.

"He was accepted to Cambridge Trinity College at 15 years old."

"Fifteen! Is that even legal!" Mai exclaimed.

"If you're very smart, then yes Mai, it's completely legal." Gene laughed.

Gene closed his eyes. When they opened again, they were sad. He folded his hands.

"I was a perfect medium and could therefore conduct exorcisms. I was invited to Japan to perform one. It's funny. I thought it might be a good idea to meet with some other mediums, learn their methods, you know? Maybe I could get better at what I do."

His folded hands tightened.

"I could feel him. I didn't know how. Later I found out that he had tried on some of my clothes and had a vision because of that connection. He saw the vision turn green. Do you know what that means, Mai?"

She shook her head.

"It means that the person is dead."

"Gene, he didn't."

He stayed quiet.

"Gene, tell me he didn't." She demanded, tears in her eyes.

The twin took her hand and squeezed it gently. Mai looked back to the spirits, only to see that they weren't there anymore. Instead, you could see a tall, pale, black haired man crossing the empty street. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a car sped down the street, hitting the man, sending him flying forwards and landing with a thud a few yards away from the car.

"Gene…" Mai whispered, sparkling tears falling down her face. "I don't want to see this."

She could hear the gasping and cracking from where she was sitting. The car door opened and there was a woman, looking at what she had done.

Then she screamed.

The woman slowly sat back in the car, and went full speed ahead, right over Gene once more.

She could hear him calling out in pain, smell and see the blood that nearly soaked him. His chest was rising and falling, he was wheezing, trying to get air into his crushed lungs.

But it was too late.

The vision turned green, and disappeared.

Mai was shaking. "Gene, tell me Naru didn't see that. Please tell me Naru didn't see that."

"Weren't you the one trying to kill him the last time I checked?" He accused. "Think about it, Mai! You died protecting him. What good would it do to kill him now? You would have died for nothing!" He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "That woman wrapped up my body and threw me in a lake. But the police couldn't find anything, so he thought he could find me himself. So he moved here with Lin, who our parents sent to accompany him."

"So that's why Lin is so protective of him." Mai mused. Gene laughed for a fraction of a second.

"Oh, Lin. I remember when I told him that I didn't want him to hate me just because I was Japanese and he was Chinese. Always the grudge holder."

Mai's eyes widened.

"_Lin-san, I can't help it if you hate me, but I wish you wouldn't hate me just because I'm Japanese!" Hey, did I say something funny?_

"_Long ago, there was someone who said the same thing to me. I was just remembering that."_

"_You mean Naru?"_

"_Oh, no. When I said it to Naru, he just said, "That's pretty stupid."_

"_Sounds like something Naru would say."_

'_He looked sort of sad when he remembered that. Could it be…'_

"So it was you who said that to Lin?"

Gene looked at her. "Yeah, and I know you said the same to him, on that scary case, right? We really do think alike, I guess."

Mai smiled. "Yeah, I guess we do. So that's why Naru came to Japan, eh? To find your body?"

"Mhmm. Remember when you called him 'Naru-chan' for the first time?"

Mai nodded as the memory came back to her.

"_Say, Naru-chan, what should I do today?"_

"_What did you just say?"_

"_Eh-"_

"_Did you just call me Naru?"_

"_S-sorry, um…"_

"_Where did you hear that?"_

"_Eh? You mean other people call you that too?"_

"He thought I said 'Noll, didn't he?" Gene nodded.

"His powers are why he collapsed, too. When you were on that spoon-bending case."

"Huh? How?" She wondered.

"When you fell, you were in danger of landing on some rubble, and he moved it away using his PK."

'_He hurt himself…just to protect me from some injuries…'_

"I kept trying to get in touch with Noll, but we can't communicate telepathically like we used to. I could only contact a weird random girl who happened to suddenly work for him."

Mai smiled, then looked at her lap, a melancholy look on her face. Gene put a hand on her shoulder.

"Gene, what should I do?" She asked, putting her hands in her face and sobbing. "I don't know what to feel anymore. There are so many feelings. I want Naru to know what happened, what he did to me, I want him to suffer. And yet, I don't. I…I…I just want him to be with me again! Isn't that so terrible, that I'm being so selfish? I blame him for trapping me here, and for more reasons than one, I want him to be trapped here with me. I want revenge, I want that redhead man to suffer, too. And I want…I want…."

She brought her tear-stained face away from her soaked hands. "I want to get out of here. I want to go back, to live." She looked at Gene, only to see he wasn't there. "Gene?" She looked around, did he fall? "Gene?" She crawled to the middle of the bright circle. She sat on her feet in a kneeling position and clutched her hands to her shoulders, closing her eyes, and shivering. The place suddenly got colder. It was silent. She was alone. She was all alone.

"GENE!" She screamed. She folded her body over, still clutching her shoulders and sobbing harder than before.

"Don't leave me alone…Naru…Naru…"

"I call upon Tanyama Mai." A voice that Mai recognized instantly echoed through her limbo.

"Masako…"

"Please, use me to channel your feelings, your grief, your message which you have for us."

A bright light appeared in front of Mai as she slowly stood up. She took a step forward as she felt something that she hadn't in a while.

Warmth.

She stepped forward more, just inches away from the even brighter light. A glowing figure appeared in front of her, smiling sadly.

"Masako…Masako…" She whispered, reaching out to touch her. Masako mirrored her actions. Mai stepped completely into the light, nearly blinding her.

"I commend my body for the time being into your hands."

Mai opened her eyes, and was surprised to find that she was no longer in her cold hell. She looked at her hands, they were paler than she remembered.

But she could feel it.

The blood running through her veins, the air filling her lungs, a beating heart.

'_Masako, she's channeling me. I'm being channeled by Masako.'_

"Mai?" A masculine voice questioned. She shot her head up, seeing it was Monk who asked the question.

"B-Bou-san." She shakily stated. "Ayako, John, Lin." She paused. "N-Naru?"

"Mai, how did you die?" He asked, expressionless as ever.

She whipped her head around, seeing her body on the stretcher, then turned her head to the wood. She felt something she hadn't felt since the night prior.

Pure terror.

"Has it really only been a day?"

Naru's face softened and nodded.

"H-He put his hand over my mouth. He dragged me down the alley. I tried to get away, but every time, he caught me again, and would end up more hurt. He pulled my down the hole, he crushed my fingers, I couldn't do anything to stop him. The next thing I knew, I was strapped to that wood. He sliced me all up, he said it would all end if I would just answer him. He asked me who he should kill, me or someone else." Masako's eyes teared up; Mai was in complete control. "I just couldn't…then he strangled me. He told me, he warned me, he told me that I chose death myself. But I didn't chose death. Is it really worth being killed because you wanted someone close to you to live?"

A hand clutched hers. Mai looked down and saw Ayako's teary face looking back at her.

"Who was it, Mai?" She asked. "Who did this to you?"

Mai shook. "His eyes." Her hand tightened. "He was clothed in almost completely black, but his eyes. I saw his eyes, just before I died his hair moved out of the way. I could see them. They were full of anger, revenge. They were gray, held no mercy, no kindness, no love. All they held were hatred, amusement. It was like a game to him."

John patted her back.

"Where you are now…why are you there? What's it like?"

"It's cold. I'm trapped there. It hurts so much. You receive death over and over, and it's ten times worse than the real thing. As to why I'm there…I don't even know. Is it because I'm a vengeful spirit? Has death for just one day changed me?"

"Mai," Naru started. "About what-"

"Naru." Her voice was filled with anger, sadness, and…fear?

Naru's eyes were slightly watery, though no one would be able to tell. "Mai, I didn't mean-"

"I called out for you. You didn't come. Why couldn't you hear me, Naru?" She said, crying. It seems death kind of makes you teary. "You left. Didn't you care? Even after what happened, after everything, couldn't you hear me? Why couldn't you hear me? It hurt…It hurt so much…"

Masako's whole body tensed and straightened. "Time's up. I don't want to go back there. It'll hurt, I don't want to go back there." It seemed as if a wind picked up. A somewhat loud wind.

"Mai, one last question!" Naru shouted over the noise, leaning over the table. "Who was it that you sacrificed yourself for? Answer me!"

"You answer me first! Will you save me this time?"

"I'll find out who did this to you! I'll put you at peace, Mai, I swear!"

"Be careful, Naru…please, don't get hurt…" Her voice echoed through the room as the wind died down and Masako collapsed. Naturally, John caught her.

"Masako?" He questioned, shaking her slightly. Slowly, her eyes opened, back to their normal blue color. They widened slightly.

She raised her hand, pointing her index finger at Naru. "The board…"

Naru turned around, only to find a message written out in blood.

"Be careful Naru. Please don't get hurt. It was you that man wanted."

* * *

Please tell me if I messed anything up in the story of Naru and Gene, I just got the info off a site :D

REVIEWS! FUNFUNFUN!

BloddyXandra: Thanks! And as for your question, well, maybe... ;-)

midnightstar32: Haha, that's totally fine. You're not stupid :D Thank you! (tears mwahahaha XD) Haha, of course you're not a snob. And I'll definitely check out you're story sometime, and I'll be sure to fave and comment :)

Evermoon7: Oh thank you! Yep, I really kinda hate torturing Mai like this, but for my vision it has to be done :D Oh well. Sorry bout the slow update!

Dark Angel Winry Rockbell: Thank you so much!

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: Thanks! Sorry about the slow update D:

Cross your Heart for me: o.O hehe, well I don't think I could kill him just yet...I promise he'll get better. Yeah, Mai'll have to deal with that a lot, huh? Oh God, such a tough question! But I'd have to say British guys. (No offense, John :D)

sousie: Thank you very much!

Katie: Thanks! Yeah, it is kinda sad, isn't it? :( It's REALLY hard to do an emotional Naru, since he's all "Yeah I don't care" all the time! And no worries, I won't kill him...I don't think...

heavenslilagl420: Haha, I think she'll probs still go all 'ruff' on Naru (nice verb :D) Thank you!

Fallen's Child: Thank you! I will!

mydarlingjuliet: Sorry for the slow update! OMG! That's such a great honor to hear form anyone, but especially since I've read Chrysanthemum Island and honestly can't wait for an update :D Thank you!

Holmesz: Haha, thanks! Sorry about the slow update!

herbblood: Thank you! Sorry, I think this chapter is a little lacking in good adjectives and such since I really wanted to get it up. :D Thanks very much!

spinningaround7: Um...I don't think so o.O But, uh, interesting theory :D Thanks! And I kinda like the little line at the end of the review there :)

cherryblossom1013: Thank you! Yeah, I keep on torturing Mai! Grrr! Stop it! :D

Aktaiy: haha, yeah, I kinda do XD Thank you very much!

SakuraCat96: Thank you! Haha, it's a contradiction! :D Sorry about the slow update!

BTW, if anyone wants me to read their stories (if you care that much, it would be a great honor for me personally :D) I would love to check them out and comment telling you what I think and (if you say you want me to) ways I think you can improve (and make your story more like mine! Haha, jk, no worries XD). I really would love to check them out, and a lot of times when flipping through the Ghost Hunt archive I can't tell which ones are written by my reviewers, so I may skip over them, which would probably be a shame! Seriously, it's the least I can do after the love you all have shown me. Thanks again! And a million more times!

~Kara


	6. Bloody Message

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(Yeah, I kinda hated the last chapter, so I really wanted to make this one good! With extra special JohnxMasako-ness!)

_

* * *

It was you that man wanted._

_You that man wanted._

_You._

The words written in blood glared at him from the candle-lit wood, torturing his very soul.

_He wanted __**you**__._

_She died because of __**you**__._

"Naru?"Lin asked him, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. Naru's black hair covered his eyes as his body tensed and shook. Before Lin's hand reached his shoulder, the narcissist punched the vertical board, surprisingly not even making a dent with the force he hit it with. The message he despised was now smeared all over his hand.

"Naru…you should calm yourself down." Lin advised.

The candles blew out, the small table they had brought in for the seance rattled, rising slightly in the air.

"Naru." Lin's voice was stern.

But Naru wasn't listening.

He ran, pushing Lin out of his way and hurrying out the space the door had once been. His footsteps echoed as they took him quickly down the hall, up the ladder, and out of the alley. The sun was just going down as he ran, not stopping until he reached a familiar door. He ignored the sign on the SPR entrance that read "Out on appointment" and tore through the door. He didn't bother to realize that in their haste to find Mai, they had left it unlocked.

He knocked over a stack of papers that had just recently been organized. They flew all around on their trip to the floor. He didn't know what to do. He just couldn't stand his frustration. He needed to take it out on _something_. _Anything_.

The coffee table started to shake.

The desks started to shake.

The doors opened and closed on their own free will.

He went to the kitchen. He didn't know why. It was the place Mai had always made him tea.

He opened the cupboards and threw each fragile teacup against the wall, smashing them in the process.

Naru tried to breathe, tried to calm himself down. But he couldn't.

He marched to his desk, slamming the door to his office and trying to find some peace of mind. He slid his small piles of maps and paperwork onto the ground. Then he froze.

Glaring at him was a picture frame.

The picture was taken after the first case the group had worked together on. Takigawa was rubbing his head and Ayako looked as if she had slapped something. Masako was standing with her sleeve covering her mouth. John was smiling normally. Lin was staring straight at the camera, not really any emotion on his face. Naru's own face looked somewhat annoyed. Mai was smiling brightly, eyes closed and hands in a peace sign.

_Mai…_

Naru took the picture in his hand. He was trembling.

He threw the picture frame on the desk, the glass shattering.

Naru was bleeding from some cuts, some from when he smashed the picture frame and some from when he massacred the teacups. One was on his cheek. A few were on his hands. There was one on his shoulder. He took a large shard of glass from the picture frame and sat down on the floor, his back on one side of his desk. He could faintly see his reflection. It was then he realized there were tears in his eyes ,threatening to fall.

"Damn." He whispered, clutching the shard of glass. He needed to get his act together. It took him a moment to notice the pain on his palm and fingers from the glass. He looked at his hand. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to let go. Instead, he gripped it harder.

Slowly, he raised his hand and released the broken piece of picture frame. It fell to the floor, its clink echoing in Naru's mind as he looked at the deep line of blood on his palm.

_What's happening to me?_

Finally, he stopped fighting the tears that were already streaming and buried his face in his bleeding hand, tremors of sobs overcoming him.

_Mai…_

He heard the office door open.

"Naru." Lin's voice said, but he could tell the others were there too. He lifted his scowling, tear-stained face from his hand and looked at them. Their eyes went wide at the blood that was covering his face. Ayako slowly went over, ripping a part of her black skirt and wrapping it around Naru's slit hand. John handed Masako a handkerchief from his jacket and whispering something in her ear. She nodded and exited the room. She returned a few minutes later, the handkerchief was wet.

"Sorry I took long, I had some trouble getting around the broken porcelain on the kitchen floor." She stated, walking towards Naru and kneeling with Ayako beside him.

"Gomen." He forced out. She raised the wet handkerchief and wiped the blood and tears off his face.

"It's alright. It's natural to be upset."

"No one blames you, Naru." Monk stepped forward saying.

"But it's my fault!" The broken boy on the floor spat out, the two girls fixing him backing away at the sudden outburst.

"Naru," Lin said. Naru turned his face towards him. "Mai died because she didn't want you to get killed. Killing yourself on the inside is completely counterproductive."

"What are you saying, Lin?"

"I'm _saying_ go visit Mai. Alone."

…

Naru climbed down the concrete ladder and turned on the fluorescent lights. He could already see her. She was laying there so peacefully, as if she were still asleep.

"_It hurts."_

He could hear her voice echo through the room. She was in pain.

"_Make it stop. Please, make it stop."_

It sounded like she was crying.

"_Stop it! Make it stop!"_

He reached her, softly caressing her face.

"_Please, help. Someone, help."_

She sounded like she was in so much pain. Her gasps and screams wouldn't go away; they just continued until, suddenly, they stopped.

"_I don't…I don't like when that happens. Why do I have to feel that?"_

Soft tears were coming to his eyes.

"_Someone, rescue me soon. Before I have to feel that again."_

Naru brought his head to her neck, hugging her.

Mai, who had just finished re-experiencing death again, brought her hand to her neck. It felt as if warm drops were landing there. She could feel heavy breathing on her neck. A feeling of warmth and hope filled her as she closed her eyes, breathing in the happy feeling that the tears gave her.

"Naru…" She whispered. Gene smiled. "I can feel Naru…"

…

Masako walked out of the SPR door and into the moonlight, glancing up at its fullness. She sighed and quietly ambled down the steps. Looking around, she sat on a stair halfway down them and sighed. The medium stayed in the silence a moment, waiting, listening, thinking.

She looked up. '_Mai? Are you there? I just want you to know I'm sorry. For everything.'_

She looked back down at her lap as her folded hands tensed.

…_for…everything…_

"Hara-san?" A high male voice came from behind her. Her small body quickly swiveled around to see the blonde priest at the top of the stairs. He was looking down on her, concern obvious in his tone. "Are you alright?" He walked down the stairs at sat at her side, putting a hand on her back in comfort.

Masako blushed and quickly looked away. "H-hai, I'm fine…thank you for your concern." She stammered, not quite knowing what to say.

"You don't seem fine, Hara-san." The hand that had previously been on her back went to her folded hands.

She blushed harder. What was that electricity that seemed to jolt through her whenever he touched her? It was nothing supernatural, no. It was more like...a feeling...

"M…M-Masako."

"Huh?"

"I-I would like it very much if you called me Masako."

"Oh. Sure, Masako."

"Arigatou." She whispered, he noticed her body was trembling, her eyes were looking down. "Yes…I would like that…very much…" She put her head in her hands, shaking from soft, silent tears that quickly flowed down her cheeks.

_'Mai would like that…what would Mai say…if she knew I was in love with a priest?'_

"Masako, what…?" John trailed off, bringing his right hand to the left side of her face, turning her head to face his direction. Masako still didn't make eye contact with him in her blurry vision. She smiled a sad smile.

"Gomen." She whispered, drying the tears from her eyes. She tried smiling a bit brighter. "It's nothing."

John's eyes widened at the sight of her pale face in the moonlight, her deep blue eyes sparkling from the light and her tears. His hair covered his eyes.

"Gomen." He whispered.

"Huh?"

"Gomen…I can't hold it in any longer. What is this...what is this feeling I get whenever I'm around you...what is it..."

"John…"

"I'm a priest! I know that! I practiced for years, worked hard to never give into temptation, swore my loyalty to God." He took her small hand in his, clutching it as if he was in pain. His head whipped up to look at her shocked one. So what is it about you that makes me crumble apart? That makes me want to forget everything I've worked for just to be with you? That makes me want to kiss you and hold you and always be there for you? I'm not supposed to feel this way..."

"John." Masako whispered. She looked down at her lap. "All the time I wonder what people would think if they knew that I was in love with a priest." John's blue eyes widened. "I always thought that you wouldn't feel the same way, that you would never risk it. Couldn't you get into some sort of trouble with the church?" She stood up, sliding her hand out of his, looking down at him. He stared at her in shock. "So that's why…" The tears came coming back. "That's why I'm going to stop loving you. I'm going to forget the way I feel. Ignore the way my heart pounds whenever I see you or whenever you comfort me." She smiled somberly. "Trust me, John. I'm not worth it." She turned and began up the stairs again when she felt something grab her hand. Her head slowly turned.

"John…"

He had stood up and was clutching her hand, looking at her seriously. He walked up to the step she was on and smiled. His left hand went to her ear and pushed the ebony hair aside.

"You're amazing, Masako." He whispered in her ear. "But you can be really stupid at times."

The tears of sadness that had been lightly falling before had never stopped, but flowed for a different reason.

Happiness.

John's head slowly went away from her ear until his face was just inches from hers. His hand slid down to her neck as the other went to her waist without him telling it to. One of Masako's arms went around John's neck while the other hand merely stayed at his shoulder. Their lips were so close to touching...so...close...

"I'd risk anything...anything...to be with you..." He whispered

_So close…_

Neither one knowing who moved in first, their lips finally met.

It wasn't a makeout session, it wasn't a passionate kiss of lust. It was a chaste kiss full of love. The hand that was on Masako's neck also went around her waist, and the hand that was out John's shoulder went around his neck, deepening the kiss somewhat.

Somehow, even though it was breaking every possible rule, it felt so right to the two of them.

Mai merely watched from a stair above them, smiling at how long it took them to finally admit their feelings.

"I'm glad." She whispered. "It's best to tell them how you feel before it's too late, ne?"

Mai brought her ghostly fingertips to touch her lips.

_Naru…_

…

The sun rose in Shibuya as the Psychic researchers made their way down the street towards the alley.

"Kazuya!" A male voice called from ahead of them. They looked in the direction, to see a man leaning against a wall of one of the buildings.

"Kabasawa Takashi." Naru stated, his voice straight. "AKA William Jennings. We met in America, but were both Japanese. Then we were neighbors."

"Good to see you too, Naru." The redhead laughed, walking from the wall he had been leaning against. He was pretty tall, in a green shirt and some jeans. "I heard about your assistant. You okay?"

"I'm fine." It was a lie. Everyone knew it. "You're acting oddly civil, considering the circumstances."

"You think I would still hold a grudge from you beating my girlfriend nearly to death? I'm hurt, Naru." He mocked, touching his heart.

"She attacked me drunk and got on my nerves. I told you, I simply defended myself and my PK threw a table at her. Does she still walk with a limp?"

"No, but she still has that scar on her face."

"Not too bad."

"In any matter, that's all behind us. No hard feelings, right?" He walked closer to the group. "Madoka ran into me and sent me to see how you were doing. I dunno how she heard, she wouldn't tell me, but she was too busy. She seemed really concerned. Good 'ol Masoka. So, mind if I join your…uh…posse?"

"Not at all." Naru answered, voice hard, and the group began to walk again.

…

Mai walked into the room she was murdered in. She looked at the humans in the room. For some reason, she could clearly see them immediately. They were all there, just like normal.

"Well, this is where she was killed and…that's her."

"Pity," A mystery voice spoke. Mai froze. "She was pretty cute."

"Kabasawa-san," John spoke. "We're going to look around on the other side of the room to see if there is anything on the cameras or any temperature changes. You can just hang around there, is that alright?" He referred to the cameras that were set up in various places in the alley, the hallway, and the room.

"Sure, no problem." The SPR group passed right past her, walking to the other side of the room to and turning their focus to the monitors. The mystery man came into her view, hands in his pockets 'looking around the room'.

Then he looked straight at her.

Those eyes…

"You may be the spirit here, Mai," He spoke in an eerily creepy voice. "But I'm the one who's going to be haunting you."

* * *

Ooooooooooooooooh, MAI'SKILLERISBACKOMGWHAT'SGONNAHAPPEN?

And remember, if anyone wants me to read their stories, I'm happy to!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

_**REVIEWS!**_

sousie: Thanks! Yeah, she was...but i wonder how she'll be now?

Katie: Thank you SOOOOOOOOOO much! That means A LOT to me :) And, well, I guess you know the answer to both those questions now!

sweetymai90: Thanks! It is sad, isn't it? Well, a little JohnxMasako should brighten the mood a bit!

sakura-moonrise-hime: Hope you liked it!

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: Thanks! I'm glad you understand I can't upload as much as i like D: Hope you enjoyed it!

simplyfierceandfearless: AAAAAAAAHTEARSOMGOMGOMG! (tear fanatic XD) Haha, thanks for the review!

herbblood: Your welcome! x however many times you thanked me XD Thank you! (BTW I reviewed your poem, it was really good :D)

Black-x-kimono-x-otaku: Haha XD XD XD HE FELT THE RAGE! REALLY funny review, thanks :) He suffered mwahahaha XD ...you are kinda sadistic... o.O AND IT DOES MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND!

Guby-san: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww thank you so much!

-dreamingwandererofthelight-: Thank you!

Dark Angel Winry Rockbell: thanks :)

BloodyXandra: Thank you so much :D

crazylittlecheezer: Thank you! The thought just occurred to me one day, I don't even know why XD And now you know who killed Mai! Aww thanks! And more CONFLICTING emotions to come :)

melovepickles16: Thanks! I'll try to update more often! Happy Holidays!

cherryblossom1031:Haha, thank you! XD

Aktaiy: LOL XD (TEARS MWAHAHA XD) I read "Dealing With Mai Part 1". I hope my constructive criticism helped! UPDATE FOR GOD'S SAKE! O.O

GaarasLoverGirlKat: Awww thank you! That means a lot to me :) I'm gonna read your story soon, promise ;)

Cross Your Heart For Me: I appreciate your patience with me throughout these chapters :)

SakuraCat96: Thank you!

MoonPieeNinjaaa: Thanks! Yeah haha I get it XD

Akane Taniyama:Haha, I hate them too :P Thanks! I normally don't call him Bou-san unless it's Mai, but I am trying to call him Takigawa more often cuz that's his real name (sorry!) XD But I first watched the English Dub and then the Sub version, so I'm used to calling him Monk. Awww thank you!

Handsome Angel: Thank you, tomadachi!

fallen's child: Thanks! Now ya know!

seiyuurabu: Thank you! I'm glad you like my writing style XD

Hitori15: Thank you! I'm happy that you find this interesting :)

heavenslilangel420: Thanks! You could be right. I just got my info off a site, so they could have been adopted at 9, I'm not sure :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Kenjo: Oh don't worry. I'm not NEARLY done torturing Mai yet...so be ready...she may be vengeful and she may not :)

**CHRISTMAS CONTEST!**

And now a little Christmas contest! Whoever successfully translates the sentence below first in a review will get a special treat XD A few rules. 1.) NO using anything like Google translate or some other translator! That's cheating! 2.) You can't just translate and be done with your review. If you just translate, I will not give you a treat!

Here's the sentence:

"Watashi wa watashi no rebyū ga daisukidesu. Min'na, arigatō! Merīkurisumasu!"


	7. Control

! GUESS WHAT! I'M NOT DEAD! AREN'T Y'ALL HAPPY!

*dodges a series of tomatoes and other assorted foods

Okay, okay! I get it! I'm _really_ sorry! I'm been SUPER busy lately and just couldn't find time! Forgive me angry readers?...YAY! Okay, so ENJOY the new chapter! (finally)

Disclaimer: If I owned Ghost Hunt 1. Mai and Naru would get together 2. John and Masako would get together 3. Ayako and Bou-san would have gotten together 4. Lin and Madoka would have gotten together...pretty much Everyone who **should** have been together would! Don't you wish that I owned it? But _..._

* * *

Mai knelt in the center of her glowing circle where she was confined. Her body was hunched over, her white, angelic glow she had about her turned bluer and greyer by the second. She clutched her head, eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the figure before her. A figure with red hair and grey eyes. What was he doing to her? Why...why is it that she felt such agony running through her veins?

_"How is it..."_ she thought "_that you can torture me even after death?"_

"What…what are you?" She grunted out. The man smiled down at her.

"Is that really so important to know, Mai?" He sneered, looking, smirking down at her, seeming to enjoy her pain.

Another rush of pain surged through her. It seemed as if her head was going to explode. The heart in her chest that was no longer beating felt as if it was slowly being torn open, the remains set on fire. She gasped, although the need for air was gone. "Please…stop…"

He shook his head. "I won't stop until you change."

"Ch-change?" She forced out.

"You know what happens." He said, kneeling in front of her. "The longer a spirit is bound to the Earth, the farther they slip from themselves."

Her eyes widened, her head tilted up slightly towards her murderer. "I-It's how…a spirit…becomes a-"

"A vengeful spirit, an evil spirit, whatever you like to call it."

"Stop-" Mai started, the pain his voice gave her heart was unbearable.

What was happening to her?

"It's going to happen eventually, Mai. And you know it. The revenge you want for me, the longing to be human again, the desire to be with your precious love, it's going to be too much. It'll drive you insane, to the point where you don't know what is what. Before you know it, you have a vengeance for everyone you once cared about, because they have what you don't."

"No…I would never…"

"They can't see what is right in front of them. That the person who killed you is _right in front of them."_

She held her head tighter. Even in the cold, it felt as if her body was on fire, while her skin felt frozen and cracked. "They don't know-"

"John and Masako. They've gotten together. They have what you didn't. John realized what Naru couldn't. They're parading around in love, rubbing it right in your face. Doesn't that**...**_bother you?_"

"I…I'm happy…I'm happy for them!..."

"And what about Naru? You had such a beautiful hatred towards him. You seem to forget, the reason you ended up in that alley that night is because you wanted to tell him your feelings. Because he left you all alone."

She couldn't deny that a small part of her blamed Naru. She died in his place. But more than anything, she wanted to keep in mind he had no idea. To forgive.

_"Don't listen, Mai." _she told herself. _"He's just trying to make you angry. No matter what...don't...listen..."_

"You're going to kill all your friends. And no one will be there. No matter how much you want justice, no one is ever going to find out. Because you've killed everyone with a speck of that ability. They'll all die, Mai. And I'm going to make you watch."

"Don't hurt them!"

"You're the one hurting them." He reached his hand to her chin, forcing her to look up into his eyes. "You will kill each and every one of them. You will torture them not only with the fact that it's you, but with pure torment. And there is nothing you can do to stop it."

The man vanished, leaving Mai alone, trembling, a pure grayish-blue now. Her body shook as she once again held her head. It was no use. She had no control anymore. She needed it. Their blood. She needed it to be spilled. She needed their deaths. She knew deep inside herself it was the only way. The only way to make her feel whole. To fill the emptiness that man gave her. She was completely dry. Her eyes were hollow, her blood now stained her clothes unlike before, where her wounds were completely closed. No, they were open now. Her veins varicose.

_I don't…want to…hurt them…_

But she had no choice.

He was right. He succeeded.

She was driven mad.

She arched her back and let out a deafening scream that could wake the dead.

"Kabasawa-san?" Takigawa asked their guest, who seemed to be sleeping in a plastic chair in the corner. His grey eyes opened, the smirk he had worn on his face remained. "Sorry to wake you from your nap, but we're heading back to SPR to do a bit of research."

"Oh don't worry, I wasn't sleeping." The smirk was now replaced with a warm smile. "Just closing my eyes for a moment."

He stood, following the others out the exit. He smiled, remembering her screams, her struggling, her blood.

'_That's what you get, Noll. Don't worry. You'll be next.'_

His thoughts wandered back to his Caroline, who had died in a fire two years prior.

"_William?"_

"_Caroline!"_

He didn't know how he had done it for the first time. He had just thought of her, closing his eyes, praying that somehow he could see her, talk to her. He had felt the energy pool inside him until his closed vision changed. And then there she was. Her long, black hair and her fair skin.

And that scar…

She hadn't been able to run because of her limp, because of what that damn Oliver Davis had done to her the year before that fire.

"_Caroline, I will avenge you."_

"_That's alright. Really, I'm fine. I just want you to remember that I love you, alright?"_

"_Caroline, I will avenge you. I will kill that bastard who did this to you."_

"_William-"_

"_Tell me that you want me to kill him!"_

"_But I don't-"_

"_Dammit, Caroline, tell me!"_

"_William you're scaring m-"_

"_Caroline." He ordered, placing his hand on her cheek. Her eyes widened, seeming to change. "Tell me."_

"_I…want you to kill Oliver Davis."_

Yes, William did hire a woman for the death of Noll's brother. But it didn't seem like enough. It didn't seem like it did Caroline justice.

He killed _his_ love. Maybe that should have evened the odds.

But it didn't.

He would put Mai through what his Caroline had gone through. Tenfold. Because Oliver Davis didn't deserve love.

She was a stupid girl for loving him. A stupid girl like that would have gotten herself killed anyways.

And after he was done with her, he would do what Caroline wanted him to do. He would kill Oliver Davis. Soon.

"Hey." A high male voice called him from his thoughts.

Monk was walking at the front of the group, with Ayako a bit behind him. Naru was walking in the middle, as always Lin was close by. John was behind them, with Masako by his side. Kabasawa Takashi was walking by Monk. Masako looked up at all of them, eyes never wandering to the blonde-haired boy by her side.

"I was wondering," John asked the group. "If we should go on a walk before going back to SPR. It's a beautiful day after all."

"That…" Ayako wondered, stopping. The group stopped as well. She looked back at John, giving him a sad smile. "I think that's a good idea." Monk took her hand, she looked up at him. He gave her a soft smile, as if to comfort her. It appeared it did, for they kept walking hand in hand. John looked down at Masako, wondering if he should hold her hand as well. She was merely looking at the cement as they walked, blushing like mad.

John smiled and looked back ahead of him. Slowly, he slid his hand closer to hers until their fingertips just touched. In one single move, he laced his fingers in between hers. Her head shot around to face his, a look of shock on her face. He merely smiled.

She smiled shyly and lightly squeezed his hand. John kept their gaze for a few moments, then looked back ahead of him. They simply walked like that, content with the warmth each of their hands gave the other.

Suddenly, the warmth was gone. John was holding on to nothing, just air. He looked down at their entwined hands, only to find them not entwined anymore. In fact, _Masako_ wasn't there anymore.

John halted as he looked around, wondering where she could have gone. She was nowhere in sight. He sighed, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead with the hand that had been holding hers. His ocean eyes opened once more, his hand frozen in place. There was something…something on his hand. Some sort of warm liquid. He took his hand off his forehead and looked down at his palm.

Blood.

With his left hand he felt his forehead for some sort of head wound, but there was none. Just a smeared bit of blood on his forehead, a drop of it trickling down his face.

He wasn't injured. Where did the blood come from?

His eyes widened.

Masako. The hand she was holding, the sudden disappearance…

"Takigawa!" He shouted. The entire group looked back at his horror-stricken face.

"John," Monk ran to him. "what happened?"

"Masako…" he whispered. "my hand, she was holding my hand when she suddenly disappeared."

The team looked at each other.

"This…this isn't my blood."

Then they started to run.

Masako grunted as her back hit the brick wall.

"What the…" She looked up from the ground. "Mai."

This couldn't be Mai. Her eyes were hollow, her aura was grey and…bloodthirsty…

She snickered. "Long time, no see, eh Masako?"

"Mai…" she whispered.

"Is that all you can say? Shouldn't you be talking about your…" something suddenly sliced Masako's shoulder. She screamed as her hand clutched the wound. "…relationship status?"

Masako's head shot up, eyes wide.

"How…"

"You think you can hide everything from everyone." An agonizing pain came to Masako's stomach. She clutched it, folding her body in half from the pain. Tears began to form at the edges of her eyes. "Don't you? You think your precious priest will come and save you, don't you?"

"Please…stop…I can help-"

"You think you can help? Silly girl. The only way you can help is by giving me the pleasure of killing you."

Masako had a pool of blood surrounding her. Yet, the only real wound she had was on her shoulder.

_This…this isn't my blood…_

She looked up at Mai, smiling down at her. Her school uniform was stained with a red liquid.

_Mai…this blood…is Mai's?..._

Two foggy hands came from behind Mai. Before she knew it Masako was being lifted by the neck, pushed against the brick wall behind her. She put her hands to the surprisingly tangible hands choking her, trying to pry them off her neck. But they refused to budge. More pain came to even more places on her body, agonizing her. But she wasn't truly hurt.

_Mai is making me feel...the wounds she felt…_

Suddenly, the ghost was right in front of her. She placed her index finger on Masako's forehead. Just that simple touch made blood begin to drip down her face. Not Mai's blood. Her own blood. She tried to cry out, for John, for _anybody_, but it just came out as a wheeze.

No one could hear her.

_So this is how Mai felt...when she was murdered..._

"The only way you can help…" Mai whispered. "…is by dying."

Crystal tears slid from Masako's eyes.

"Mai..." she wheezed.

In just that moment, Masako looked into Mai's hollow eyes. They scared her. But for just a moment, they weren't hollow. For just a moment, she could see sorrow, pain, and fear in Mai's chocolate eyes, a tear of blood sliding down her cheek. Her aura, for a moment, was white. She looked so scared, so sad. But quickly, the tear dried up, the eyes became hollow again. Masako's head hurt, like it would burt at any moment. It was so sudden, if she could clutch her head, she would, but she was too focused on not being strangled. Yet, she could feel herself losing the ability to struggle. There wasn't enough air in her lungs. She could feel her heartbeat become slower and slower…

As her heartbeat became slower, the beating rang loud in her ears. The whole world also seemed in slow-motion. She could hear voices, screams echoing in the back of her mind. Images kept changing in her vision. Mai, she was screaming, she was struggling. There was a silhouette. What...what was the person doing with Mai?

_"Help! Naru, somebody, help me!"_

No image lasted longer than a second, Masako could barely make out Mai in the shaking pictures.

_"What is this?" _She wondered in her hazy mind. _"Mai...what are you trying to show me?"_

The images continued, so blurry in Masako's head.

_"__This has to be a dream."_

___"What do you want with me?"_

___"Ah, Mai. It's not you I want." _ A new, more masculine voice entered the picture. Masako couldn't place it.

_"He thought he'd seen the last of me. But you see, I've been watching him. And I've been watching you. I was going to attack him tonight, but after witnessing what happened tonight, I thought I'd give you a choice."_

Pictures. Mai being dragged. Blood. A hand over her mouth. Mai on a wooden board. Blood. A knife.

_"So answer me this, Mai. Should I kill Naru, or you?"_

"MASAKO!" a scream reached her ears. Her half-lidded eyes shot open and she came back to the real world as she looked to her left. There he was, leading the others towards her. A pure happiness filled her heart.

Then, a sharp pain tore through her other shoulder. This was no slice. It was as if a knife was dug into her skin. She looked back at Mai, who had a wicked smile on her face.

_"Mai," _Masako thought. _"what was that? Which Mai is the real you?"_

"Not everyone will be as lucky as you are. They will all die." The hands holding Masako by the neck released her. She fell to the ground, coughing and almost unconscious. "But don't worry." She smiled. "I'll be back."

Mai faded away.

"Masako!" John's voice echoed around her as she felt his arms slide around her. The rest of the group gathered around them at a comfortable distance. John clutched her gently, his face buried in her hair. Masako smiled and slowly put her arms around him as well.

"I knew you'd come and rescue me."

John chuckled. "Of course."

From behind them, Takigawa cleared his throat. John brought his head up and looked up at the Monk.

"I'll explain later."

Monk gave a look that read 'you'd better' all over it.

"John." Masako whispered, tugging gently on his sleeve. He looked to her again. "As I was losing consciousness, I saw pictures in my head. I think, because of my spiritual sensitivity, I..." John rubbed her back with his hand, urging her to finish her sentence. "...I don't know who killed her, but, I think I saw Mai's murder."

The group's eyes widened.

"It was just pictures, but, she seemed so scared." Tears streamed down her face. "I think she made me feel what she felt. Most of this isn't even my blood. She...she hurt...so much..."

Then Masako finally collapsed into John's arms. He picked her up bridal style, holding her close to him.

The whole of SPR began walking back towards their earlier destination.

_Ring Ring. _Takigawa's phone went off.

"It's Yasuhara."

* * *

Good chapter? I HOPE SO!

OMG YASUHARA! (Y'all were wondering when I was gonna bring him into the story, huh? XD)

And congrats to Pinchfield for being the first to correctly translate the message! It was "I love my reviewers! Everybody, thank you! Merry Christmas!"

**Reviews! **(sigh, so many to reply to! Well, that's what I get for waiting so long to update, huh?)

Pinchfield: Hey! Welcome to my story! XD Congratulations for being the first to correctly guess the message! *applause! Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying the story. And thanks, I'm SO happy! 141 reviews! And only 6 chapters!

BloddyXandra: Haha, thank you! Sorry for leaving you with a cliffy for so long!

Black-x-kimono-x-otaku: LOL Thank you so much! That's ok! Oooh, now I want some cake! And yes, this story is full of ANGST! (_wizard_ angst...angst...angst... (haha, Potter Puppet Pals joke XD)) Haha, I consider your hypothesis close enough to deserve a VIRTUAL COOKIE! Thanks!

Cross your Heart for me: Thanks again! And YES! YES THEY WERE!

GaarasLoverGirlKat: Thanks for the review!

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan: Hope you enjoyed this chapter too, then! Sorry for making you wait! Haha, I think maybe at least half of my loyal (and awesome!) reviewers did as well XD

MoonPieeNinnjaaa: WHAT SHALL WE DO? HE'S CONTROLLING MAI! ACK! Thanks for reviewing :)

PauleenAnne: SOMEONE wanted Naru to feel guilty XD And yes! He did!

-dreamingwandererofthelight-: Thank you! Sorry for making you wait! DX

Katie: Thank you! I hope you had a good Christmas! Sorry for making you wait for a new chappie!

Conejo-sama: XD haha, you had the last two word spot on! Yep, thanks!

Holmesz: Haha, _creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy_ XD Thank you!

Chiara Nadia: Haha, thats ok. Thanks! Sorry for not uploading often!

HandsomeAngel: "Oh My Chicken Flipping God!"? Never heard that one before XD oops...hope your not a ghost...hehe...

Anonymous: Thank you for reviewing!

Felling: Yus...I have accomplished scary-ness XD mwahaha. Sorry for taking so long to update!

heavenslilagl420: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry for the slow update!

summerbirdy: I hope your year is going GREAT so far! Thanks! That's a really nice way of putting love :) Thank you so much!

Sakura Ichigo Morihiko: Well...that's what he's doing, and that's his motive :D (that's so cool, my whole chapter was like a reply to your review! XD) You were, like, SPOT ON with your assumption. Good job! Haha, thanks XD

The Roses of Color: Thanks! And I think he might find out shortly...or not...

River-Fiona-Barrels-Me: Thank you!

Emina105: "HOLYSHITAKIMUSHROOMS."? Never heard that one either...XD Thank you sooooo much! (haha, teaaaaaaaaaaaaaars yus!) Again, THANK YOU! That's a really big compliment. Sorry for the long update!

Goldfish-Con-Carne: Thank you! ACK! SOOOO sorry! I was WAY too slow :(

ember m: SORRYSORRYSORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!

Again, I'm happy to read and review any stories y'all have. It's really fun XD

And again, SORRY!

(Ps, if anyone likes romantic Asian shows, look up "Devil Beside You" in youtube. It's really good, I suggest watching!)

Until next time! (Which will be sooner!)

-Kara aka WhiteLotusBlossom547

Ugh, look at what this guilt has done to me. Staying up until 1:23 (MAKE A WISH!) grumblegrumblegrumble...


	8. Haiku

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG I'm !

I'm saying this in advance so that I don't have to say it in every comment response.

I'M please forgive me I've neglected you all!

Holy s*** it's been since FEBRUARY! *head-desk

May I just say you are the best reviewers in the entire world! I can't believe you guys put up with me! T.T

_**PLEASE READ THIS:**_

You may all thank Aqua of The Roses of Color for this chapter. This lovely person sent me a message THREE MONTHS AGO WHUT! o.O Anywho...

You are all free to give them a round of applause and if you like this chapter then goddamnit go read their story or if not then send them a message saying "Thank you thank you thank you you are my hero you brought this story to life again!" and be sure to tell them how wonderful they are. This is Aqua of Roses of Color and their profile is right HERE: (.net)/u/2408800 (God fanfiction's STUPID LINKS!)

So Aqua, I'm REALLY sorry for not getting back to you. I know I must seem like a toooooootal jerk, but here is how it was supposed to go down:

Me: Oh look I got this lovely note from this person! I must now update my story immediately!

Aqua: Oh well, they haven't gotten back to me *sadness* but wait! What is this? A new chapter! And so soon after I sent them a message! Wow, how lovely!

Me: SURPRISE this is dedicated to AQUA! Yayness!

Aqua: OMG *flattered*

And then I didn't update for three months after that.

*ANGST

I wasn't even busy doing stuff. God I'm such a bad person. T.T Oh well, enjoy.

Disclaimer: If I owned Ghost Hunt, I would update regularly. I obviously don't own Ghost Hunt.

* * *

"Mai-chan…" Yasuhara choked out as he sat on one of the black SPR sofas, sobs erupting from himself and tears streaming from his eyes. The others attempted to comfort him, but there was no end to his sadness. Ayako and Takigawa also had tears in their eyes, thinking of their dead friend. "How could something like this happen to poor little Mai-chan?"

"Masako, are you alright?" Asked John, who was looking at his girlfriend, seeming to be spacing out.

"The voice." Masako whispered. Everyone else listened in on their conversation. "The voice. It was the voice of a man, a voice I've heard before."

Naru walked from his place by the wall and up to join the rest of the group. "Masako, tell us exactly what you saw."

Masako looked to him, seeming unsure.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." John assured her, rubbing circular motions on her back.

"But the thing is, I do have to." She whispered, loud enough so everyone could hear. "Mai wasn't herself back there. Something must have happened to her. For a moment, she seemed fine, she seemed normal. Normal and sad as anyone could ever be. And then, in an instant, her evil side was back, and the only thing she wanted was me dead."

"Masako…" John whispered to her. She looked at him, and smiled sadly, shaking her head.

"I have to tell them. It's not an option anymore." John nodded and let her continue.

"They were pictures. Moving images appeared before me as I started losing consciousness. She was being dragged, her face so terrified it scared me. Then she was on that wooden board. There…there was a knife. And blood. There was always a lot of blood. I thought I might see her killer, but wherever he should have been, there was a silhouette. Nothing but blackness."

Silence and tension filled the room as everyone waited for her to continue.

"Then there were the voices."

"Voices?" Naru asked. "What voices? What did you hear?"

"It was Mai. And a man."

"What did they say, Masako? What did they say?"

"Mai. She was screaming, calling 'Help'. 'Naru', she called. 'Naru, somebody, help me'." She gulped. "Then, 'this has to be a dream', 'what do you want with me'. Those were all Mai. And screaming. Lots of screaming. Screaming that nobody around could hear. Then the man's voice. 'Mai, it's not you I want. I'll give you a choice.'" Masako stopped for a moment.

"Anything else? Please, Masako!" Naru begged.

"You won't want to hear it."

"Masako!" He yelled. She looked up at his pleading eyes. A single tear ran down her face.

"The voice then said 'Tell me, Mai. Should I kill Naru, or you?'"

He stepped back.

"Then, there was pain, and a lot of blood that wasn't mine. It was hers. Her pain, her blood, she made me feel it all."

"Masako, you're letting Mai get to you." John said. "Relax. Please. I'm right here."

Masako smiled, tears falling freely now as she firmly embraced the blonde, clutching him for dear life.

"What'll happen to Mai? To all of us? What's going to happen to us?" She choked out. "I'm so confused, what's going on with Mai?"

"Shhh." John soothed her, softly running his hand through her hair again and again. Gently kissing her forehead every now and then.

"I don't understand. Sometimes I feel as if something's wrong with her, like she's still Mai and doesn't want to hurt us. And then she becomes so cruel and heartless. I don't get it. Where's Mai? Why did she have to die? What happened to Mai?"

"We're going to figure out, Masako. I promise." He held her for a few more minutes, the rest of the group feeling extremely saddened yet touched at the couple in front of them. "I'm going to sprinkle some holy water around SPR." He stood, walking towards the door.

"You shouldn't go alone." Lin advised.

"I'll just be outside." John smiled. "But thank you for your concern."

"Still." He tossed the Australian an air horn. "If something happens, just press the button on the top. We'll be right there."

"Arigatou." John said as he closed the door behind him.

"Gene." Mai whispered, hugging her knees closer to her chest as she rocked herself back and forth. "Gene, where are you? Help me. Help me fight this."

A scent suddenly came to her attention as the desire to kill became more prominent once again. She inhaled, recognizing the scent of holy water and Suave men shampoo.

"It's time, my girl." A voice told her. She whipped around to see her red-haired demon.

Mai screamed, and vanished.

"Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name." John chanted as he began to walk around the SPR building, trying to protect it from Mai.

"Pathetic."

John whirled around to see that who had interrupted his prayers was the dead brunette girl he had once called his friend.

"Mai." He whispered.

"You think you're real clever, don't you?"

John raised his finger to the air horn, but it seemed to be knocked away by an invisible force. Terrified, he looked back up at the ghost before him. He mentally relaxed himself and began to pray. "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingd-"

He was interrupted by a lack of air in his lungs and a pressure on his neck. It took him a moment to realize that he was now on the grass, being choked by Mai.

"Mai-" he gasped. "Please…Masako…"

Suddenly, the strain on his neck was gone and he was flying. Blackness surrounded him.

Mai looked down at the priest, the killing side of her in triumph, the human side of her with hope and despair.

"John, please still be alive. Please, I can't have killed you."

Her human side was overruled and Mai walked over to the body, touching his blood with tangible hands and wrote a message in the grass. Suddenly, she felt a familiar tugging feeling as terror hit her.

"I don't want to go."

Tears streamed down her face as she walked away and picked up the air horn. Just as she disappeared, it's loud sound pierced the ears of SPR.

"John!"

The friends all ran outside to where the sound was coming from.

"John!" Masako exclaimed as she ran over to her boyfriend, head bleeding from where it hit the tree. "John, wake up! Wake up!"

"Masako." She looked up to Takigawa, who gestured, horrified, to something in the grass.

Masako broke down into sobs, clutching the blonde as if he were her source of life. "John...WAKE UP! Please wake up!" She looked to the sky. "Is this my punishment, Mai? Is this punishment for escaping from you last time! Take me instead, let John go! _Give John back to me!_" She was in hysterics as she desperately tried to stop the bleeding coming from the wound in John's forehead.

The rest of SPR knew it meant something bad, but no one got it. No one except Naru, who collapsed to the ground, a tear in his eye.

In the grass, written in John's blood, was the scariest haiku any of them had ever seen.

_I'm being gracious_

_Letting you see who you love_

_Before they are gone._

* * *

Hooooly Shiz angsty haiku! Yeah, that right there is what took me seven months to write. Can't you see that hard work in there?

But anyway I hope you liked it and OMG WHUTS GONNA HAPPEN TO JOHN! Review constantly if you want a new chapter or else I'll forget! (But seriously if I take over a month to update someone please message me.)

**REMEMBER TO THANK AQUA!**

Well, if you liked, which I hope you did. If not, send the hate mail to me and only me...sigh...

I need to stop putting so much MasakoxJohn stuff in, this is a frigging Mai and Naru story, huh? I promise that there will be more, I already have the story planned out and there will be MORE, MORE I SAY!

NOW FOR THE REPLIES AND SHTUFF! :D

Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan- Thanks for the shield, it helped tons :) (And will probably help in the future, hehe...) And I know! I totally love them together :) Thank you!

xSapphirexRosesxFanx- We shall have to seeeee ;) MAIxNARU FTW! And...Sooooooooooorry :(

PauleenAnne- Haha yep I probably deserve that thought, huh? I'm like the queen of no updating. But I promise I will finish this story if it's the last thing I do! Haha, you will get more pain and anger, I guarantee :) And Naru will be miserable too :)

Katie- Yes, my Christmas was good haha :D Thank you very much :)

SakuraCat96- Thanks! Woah, didn't put as much Yasu as I thought I would, huh...*scratches head...well grrr... but thank you :)

Sakura Ichigo Morihiko- Haha your review made me laugh...a lot :) I'm glad you have learned so much, young grasshopper. You are quite the master of deductive reasoning now. I know, William's insane :P And yes, you are quite spot-on in that guess as well, hime-sama ;)

BloodyXan-Xan- Thank you very much :)

heavenslilagl420- Thanks :) Haha, I hate William too :P And feel free to rant all you want in your reviews, I find them quite entertaining to read :D

Eru no Tsubasa- Thanks! That made me feel very...good!

Dark Angel Winry Rockbell- Thank you :)Fo

ThePuppetMasterKati- Haha, sorry to keep the suspeeeeense for so long :D

angelthatfell- I LIVE AGAIN! I seem to die many times, don't I...Worry not, I shall finish this story! I'm sorry! No, oh nonono BRAIN DON'T EXPLODE I UPDATED SEEEEE!

-dreamingwandererofthelight-- Thank you! And sorry T.T I hope this was worth the wait too :)

hannah- Sorry! Now you know what happens!

CodeHalo- Haha thank you so much! I'm sorry for not updating in so long! And welcome to the story!

Akane Taniyama- Oh noooooooooooooooooo you knew! You knew I was a baddy! You knew I wouldn't update! AAAAAAAh nuuuuuuuuuuuu I'm really sorry, but thank you for staying with me :)

Nyx's-Angel- Sortof...For the time being :)

Mate-of-Sesshy- Sorry I left you hanging but I hope that you like the chapter.

archangelBBQ- Yeah, me too o.O Haha thank you :)

LovEInsanity- Thank you very much. I'm sorry I couldn't update faster.

TwWereWolf- Haha, sorry :( But I love angst, don't you? :)

Foxgrl18- Thanks. Yeah me too! Yeah, if Naru finds out William better run, huh?

Hitori15- Thank you! You didn't have to wait that long, but still sorry :)

**REMEMBER TO THANK AQUA! DO IT NOW! **Oh and please review if you're not too mad :) I hope school is going well for everyone :)


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